An Unexpected Vacation
by Dratier
Summary: *CH. 8 IS UP* Boy-shy 24-year-old Serena (a not-so-good newspaper reporter) it forced to take a vacation to get her act together. Her hated boss arrives to her father's retirement party and brings his son, Darien along. Please R
1. Part 1

An Unexpected Vacation  
  
It was early in the morning, about 5:30. The sun was just beginning to rise, making all the buildings glow in new light. Vehicles of all kinds were rushing down the many streets, in a frenzy to get to their destinations. Smog filled the air, and dew was on the scarce plant life in the city. This happened every morning: The rebirth of a city.  
  
*Beep*  
  
A young woman moaned in dismay, rolling to her side under a mountain of sheets and blankets. All was hidden under the blankets, except for a few strands of gold hair coming from under them.  
  
*Beep*  
  
She moaned again, once again rolling to her opposite side. Just for once, she didn't want to wake up. She was sick and tired of the same routine every morning. Every single morning. Every morning she would wake up to the same beeping of the same alarm clock. She would then go into the same car and drive to the same job. After her same twelve hours were up, she would arrive back to her same apartment and fall asleep in the same bed, only for the same thing to be repeated the next morning. Talk about a boring life.  
  
*Beep*  
  
"Okay, okay already," said the woman, pulling the covers down to her collarbone. Her sky-blue eyes drooped from her lack of sleep, and her shoulder-length golden-blonde hair was sticking up in every direction.  
  
*Beep*  
  
"ENOUGH!" she screamed, picking up the poor alarm clock and throwing it against the wall. She smirked she watched the thing break and fall to the floor. Letting out a little sigh, she fell back into the comfort of her bed. Slowly, her eyes began closing. Then suddenly.  
  
"OH MY GOD, I'M GONNA BE LATE!" she cried, jumping up from her bed. She quickly checked the time on her clock, only to realize it was gone.  
  
"Damn," she said, regretting breaking the clock. But hey, at least it was a good idea at the time. She quickly ran into her bathroom, carelessly peeling off her clothes the whole way there. This left a line of clothing items coming from her bed to her bathroom. Those probably wouldn't be picked up for at least another week.  
  
Okay, freeze! Before continuing, let's just get a little information on our protagonist. Her name is Serena Tsukino, twenty-four years old. She is single, and currently works as a news reporter for the New York Times. She lives alone in her comfy studio apartment in downtown Manhattan. She came to America from Japan when she was about four. Her father was offered a good job from a newspaper company (the same company that Serena works for) that offered a much better salary than what he got from Japan. Also, all expenses to America were paid. It was too good to turn down. Now, with no further adieu, back to our story.  
  
In a matter of five minutes, Serena was out of the shower, and in a few more minutes, she was dressed and ready to go. She fed her fish and her cat, and walked out of her room, locking the door behind her. She looked at herself in the mirror that was embedded in the hallway wall. Her brown business suit fit her perfectly. It was able to show off her every curve, while still looking intelligent and mature. She grinned at herself.  
  
She knew that she had filled out nicely since she was a teenager. She was always beautiful, but now that she is mature, she is even more stunning than ever before. This is partially do to her grace and charm, which she had developed over the years. Her eyes though still retain a childlike innocence. It's a side only her friends ever see though.  
  
Serena's eyes dropped. Her eyes were full of sadness. Even though she is beautiful, and charming, and graceful, she is still.single. The young woman sighed. This fact was partially do to her shyness. Having only a sister and going to an all-girl school kind of kept her away from boys. Now that she is out on her own, she just can't seem to be able to talk with any boys. Even at her age, she never once had a boyfriend for longer than a week.  
  
"Pathetic," mumbled Serena, feeling disgraced in herself. She sighed again, realizing that all this daydreaming was going to make her late.again. Her boss was beginning to get upset with her, so she wants to get her act together before she ends up risking her job. She stood straight and tall and looked at herself in the mirror once again, before turning away and heading for the stairs.  
  
Truthfully, she didn't like her job much. Also, she was not paid very well at all. She was lucky that she could afford the apartment she had, and the one she had was a dump. She sighed, as she continued walking until she reached the stairway. After several floors, she was finally at the lobby. There was a burning sensation in her ankles from the steps.  
  
'I wish we had ELEVATORS,' she thought as she left the building and entered the lively streets of New York City. Serena never needed coffee to wake up in the morning. All she had to do was step out onto the bustling streets of the city, and she was instantly wide-awake. It was about a block's walk to get to the parking lot. She walked quickly, bumping into many pedestrians on the way.  
  
"I'm gonna be late! I'm gonna be late! Late, late, late, late, late." Serena spoke aloud as she quickly walked down the sidewalk, many men turning heads to gaze at the beauty, and many women doing the same is jealousy. After what seemed like forever, she made it to the parking lot. Once inside, she smiled as she eyed the new red Mustang sitting with all the other cars.  
  
Her eyes then diverted to a few cars down. An old blue 1992 Volvo: her car. She sighed and slowly walked to the thing. At least it got her to work though. She sat inside and started it, her gaze soon returning to the Mustang. What she wanted more than anything right now was a new car. She wanted one even more so than a new apartment, and even a new job. She sighed again once reality hit her.  
  
"In this world you get what you can afford," she said to herself. She forgot who first told her that, but it was definitely true. She backed up and drove out of the parking lot and towards her job. In about twenty minutes she was there. She parked the car and ran into the building, and then to the elevator. She took it to the eighth floor and got out, running to her office.  
  
Serena quickly looked up at the clock. It was six O'clock. She was right on time. She took this time to catch her breath before getting ready for a long day of work. She pulled many papers and books out of her briefcase and placed them on her desk. After settling in, she heard a knock on her door. She looked up to see it already opening.  
  
After opening about halfway, a man's head popped out from behind it. He had dirty blonde hair and large glasses. He wasn't really a good-looking guy, but one would get the impression that losing the glasses would definitely add a lot to his looks. For some odd reason, he is one of the only men in Serena's life that she could feel comfortable with. She was only a friend with him though. She was not at all attracted to him.  
  
"Oh, hey Ken," Serena said, smiling. Ken grinned back, stepping the rest of the way into her office. He was very tall and thin, but his head was large for his size. Maybe it was his goofy look that made him easy to relate with.  
  
"Looking beautiful as ever, Tsukino," Ken said, jokingly. Serena gave a little laugh.  
  
"So how's it going, Ken?" Serena asked. "How was your vacation?" Ken pulled over a chair and sat next ahead of her, on the other side of the desk.  
  
"It was fun. Too bad I had to come back to this place." It seemed as though everybody disliked this job. "I'm surprised you never took vacation yet. Summer's ending soon. Take advantage of it." Serena smiled.  
  
"I need the money. I really can't afford a vacation right now." Ken nodded in agreement.  
  
"Even so," continued Ken, "It's good to get out for a while. Rest, relax, MEET SOMEBODY for Christ's sake. You have to get out more. It isn't healthy to devote your LIFE to a job you DON'T EVEN LIKE." Serena sighed. Where had she heard this before?  
  
"You sound like my mother," Serena said, taking a sip of water. Ken sighed. He heard that Serena's mother tries with all her will to get her to go out some. Obviously, her attempts don't work any better than his.  
  
"You've been here for over four years already, Serena," Ken said. "You DO get paid vacation you know. Hell, you have like two weeks worked up. Take advantage of it. You can't rot in this office for the rest of your life." Serena sighed once again. She knew Ken was right. She knew her mother was right. Why couldn't she just take a week off and get out some? What was holding her back?  
  
"I don't know," is all that Serena said. Ken looked at her, confused. "I just don't know why I can't go out." Well, at least he was getting somewhere. Ken looked up at the clock and saw that it was already quarter after.  
  
"Damn," said Ken. "Serena, we'll continue this later. I have to get to work. Later." With that, Ken was gone. Serena stared at the closed door for a moment, then sat back. She sighed. Really, she didn't know what to think anymore. Her thoughts were cut off by the intercom.  
  
"Serena," said a hard, firm voice. It was the voice of her boss. "Something's going down at the Museum of Natural History. Get down there now. I'm expecting a good story tomorrow morning." This was her job. Go to a place, take notes, write a story, and hope that it is good enough to be put into the newspaper. The only problem is, her stories are rarely chosen. Therefore, she hasn't gotten a raise in God knows how long.  
  
"Those newbies make more than me," Serena mumbled, reluctantly gathering her stuff together and walking out the door. She walked to Dunkin Donuts and bought a Boston cream donut before rushing to her car and driving quickly down to the museum. Once there, she saw that it was already packed with reporters from dozens of different newspapers, radios, and television channels.  
  
"Wow, this must be serious," Serena mumbled to herself through a mouth full of the delicious pastry. She stepped out of her car and walked towards the crowd, notepad in hand. Thanks to her petite form, she found it easy to squeeze through all the other people to get as close to the front as possible. Once she could go no further, she resorted to asking around.  
  
"Hey what's going on?" Serena asked a woman next to her. The woman seemed to be in her late thirties. Serena wondered in that split second if she will still be a reporter when she's that age. She quickly shrugged the thought off.  
  
"A group a children are being held hostage," the woman replied, not bothering to face the small girl. Serene instantly began writing vigorously on her note pad.  
  
"About what time did it happen?" Serena asked.  
  
"About twenty minutes ago," the woman replied. This went on (with Serena asking several people) for about an hour. At about that time, the man who held the children hostage surrendered and so ended that story. It seemed that this man went insane after being fired from his job at the museum. Talk about a weak motive. Anyway, after getting some more information from witnesses, as well as some background information on the man, she was ready to go back to the office.  
  
Five hours later, she had her story complete. She handed it into the boss so he could look over it before handing it over to the editors. Serena had to impatiently wait in her office for her boss's reply. It took about an hour.  
  
"Serena," spoke her boss's voice over the intercom. Serena instantly stood to attention.  
  
"Y-yes?" She asked. She could tell by the tone in his voice that hers didn't cut it. She sighed.  
  
"Please come down to my office.immediately." Serena gulped, feeling her eyes burning. She knew she was either going to be heavily chewed out, or worse.  
  
'Please don't let me lose my job,' Serena thought, holding back her tears. She learned long ago that crying doesn't help. She slowly left her office and walked even slower down the hall. At the end were two big doors. 'The doors to hell' the workers called them. Serena slowly opened them and stepped into the room, closing the doors behind her.  
  
"Sit," said her boss, who was sitting comfortably behind a large desk. He was a heavy man, but his face was of stone. He was slightly bald on top, and Serena wondered how in the world a man this scary looking was married. Serena slowly sat down on a leather chair opposite him. She looked at him with eyes full of fright.  
  
"Serena," the boss started, "Your story was good, but as usual, lacking material. I had a lot of faith in you, Serena, but I am beginning to lose it. The fact that you are Mr. Tsukino's son will not guarantee you a job here forever. I want workers who can produce. You as of late, however, are not producing. I am willing to give you one last chance though." Serena stood up.  
  
"Thank you, mister Shields," Serena said, bowing. The boss cleared his throat, making Serena quickly sit down.  
  
"Not quite yet, Serena," He said. Serena swallowed. "I want you to take a break. Go home and rest for a week, or two, as long as it takes. In your years working here, you never had a break. I think that's finally getting to you." Serena gasped.  
  
"No, no sir, I'm fine, really."  
  
"Serena, you are going on a break. I'm not expecting you back for two weeks, so you might as well clean out your office." Serena swallowed again, holding back her tears. "I want to see results when you return. Say hello to your father for me as well." With that, he turned in his chair, his back facing her. Serena sighed, walking slowly out of the office.  
  
Ken was already waiting outside for her. His eyes were full of worry when he saw the sad girl walk out of the office, her head hung.  
  
"Are you okay, Tsukino?" Ken asked. Serena nodded. "What happened in there? Were you fired?" She shook her head. "Then what happened?" Ken was now really curious towards what made her so sad all of a sudden.  
  
"He told me to go on vacation for two weeks and relax," Serena said. Ken was dumbfounded.  
  
"That's all?" he asked. Serena nodded silently. "God that's great. You need a break." Serena gasped, looking up at him. Ken had a "what?" look in his eyes. "Anyway, you need help cleaning out your office?" Serena shook her head. She walked silently towards her office. Ken followed her. Personally, he thought it was great that she was going on a much-needed vacation. He just couldn't understand why she didn't want to leave work, if only for a week, PAID.  
  
Serena went into her office and began gathering the few things of hers in the room. Once everything was collected, she began placing all the items into a large cardboard box.  
  
"Damn," she said, "Where's my brush?" She searched through the box to see if maybe she threw it inside.  
  
"Here," said Ken, handing the brush to her. Serena gratefully took it. "Let's talk for a bit," Ken said. Serena sighed and nodded. She sat down on the floor, and Ken did the same, seating himself so he was facing her.  
  
"Yeah?" asked Serena. Really, she didn't feel like talking with him, because he knew how the conversation will turn out to be. She listened anyway.  
  
"Tell me, Tsukino," Ken started, "Why are you so down about going on vacation?" She knew it. She knew that this would be the start of the argument. "I mean, you are so stressed lately. Can't you realize that you need a break? It isn't healthy to do nothing but work, work, work. There's more to life, you know."  
  
"I'm not a child anymore, Ken," Serena retaliated. "I hate always working, but I have to in order to survive in this world. Can't you understand that?" Ken sighed in frustration. This was getting absolutely nowhere.  
  
"It is a PAID vacation though. I think there's more of a reason to it than, 'I hate always working, but I have to in order to survive in this world'. Just tell me, why are you being so stubborn?" Serena dropped her head.  
  
"I.I don't know," she said. Ken looked confused. Serena, seeing his confused look tried to keep going. "I mean, I never did get out much. I've been working since I was fifteen. I guess.I guess work is all I've ever really known." Ken was silent. He never thought of it that way.  
  
"Well," said Ken, smiling, "There's a first time for everything. Try to have fun for these two weeks. I'm sure you won't regret it." Serena was silent. Then, after several minutes, she smiled.  
  
"Okay.thanks, Ken," Serena said, the shine in her eyes returning. Ken smiled in return then looked up at the clock.  
  
"Damn, I have to go," Ken said, standing up. "Have fun, Serena. See you soon, okay?" With that, he walked out the door. Serena stared at the closed door for a few minutes.  
  
"Thanks, Ken," she mumbled, before standing up and carrying her box of belongings out the door. She decided that she was going to start this vacation with a lot, and lots of sleep.  
  
Serena walked into her apartment, using her foot to close the door behind her, since she was holding the box. She put the box down on her table and instantly fell back to her bed. She laid there for several minutes, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"So what now?" Serena asked aloud. It had been a long time since she had absolutely no responsibility, and now that she has none, she has no idea what to do. She turned her head to her left to see the light on her answering machine beeping.  
  
"Somebody called me?" She asked. Her getting called by anybody was rare, unless if it's from her.  
  
"Mom," Serena sighed. She knew who it was before even listening to the message. Sighing once again, she lazily reached her arm over and hit the button.  
  
"*Beep* Serena, it's your mother. I assume that you're at work now. Anyway, I'm calling to ask you to come down and visit us. We haven't seen you in so long. You can't just be tied up in your job forever you know." How did Serena know that at some point in this message her job would be mentioned? "Anyway, I'm asking you to just take a week off and come down here. We're having a large dinner tomorrow night to celebrate you father's retirement and we would like for you to be there.  
  
"Anyway, I'm begging you to please just this one time take some time away from work? We would all love to see you. Jill misses you too. She really wants to see you. You missed her graduation you know, and she was really upset. Please, don't upset her again? Anyway, I know asking this of you is useless. Please though, think it over? Call me back when you have a chance. Bye! *Beep*"  
  
Serena just stared at the ceiling. She felt bad for missing Jill's graduation, but she couldn't take off that day. Really, she was beginning to miss her mother.  
  
"Maybe I should go," Serena said. "I haven't been there since Christmas. I always have a good time there. Plus, there's nothing else to do. Long Island's a nice place. Maybe I should relax at home for a week or two. I'm sure mom will appreciate it." She slowly sat up and picked up her phone, which was sitting next to the answering machine. She dialed her mom's number.  
  
*Ring*  
  
*Ring*  
  
*Ring*  
  
"Hello?" answered a voice on the other end of the phone. Serena instantly recognized it as her mother's.  
  
"Hey mom, it's me." Silence. This silence went on for well over a minute. "Um.mom?" Serena asked, curious to why her mother was suddenly dead quiet.  
  
"S-Serena? My God, what a surprise. You're home early today. Is anything wrong?"  
  
"No, nothing's wrong. I'm just on vacation now." More silence. This time though, it was expected. Serena was hoping her mom wasn't having a heart attack.  
  
"WH-WHAT? I can't believe it. My, this is so exciting. I guess I finally got to you. How long are you taking off for?" Serena knew hat what she had to say next would shock her poor mother even more.  
  
"About two weeks." Silent.again.  
  
"WH-WHAT? That's so good. Good for you Serena. So, are you coming down here?" Serena was waiting for her to cut to the point already.  
  
"Yeah, sure. When do you want me there?"  
  
"Anytime. Just be sure that you're here for dinner tomorrow." Serena sighed in relief. She was thankful hat she would be getting some sleep before having to commute to Long Island.  
  
"No problem, mom. I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye." She quickly hung up before her mother could do any more talking. She loved her mother to death, but the woman could talk on for hours. Serena had no time for that. She lied back down in her bed, thinking about the next day. She actually found herself looking forward to it.  
  
"Home," said Serena, smiling, before closing her eyes and falling fast asleep. 


	2. Part 2

Serena woke several hours later. Slowly, she pushed her covers away and sat up, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Ohhh, I'm tired. Why do I have to wake up?" Groggily, she walked into her kitchen area to get a glass of orange juice in the fridge. While pouring the juice, she glanced at her wall clock. It read quarter to six. Serena almost dropped her glass.  
  
"I'M GONNA BE LATE!" the girl cried, quickly getting dressed, not bothering to take a shower. She was ready in minutes. She quickly downed her OJ and ran out her door, only to bump into something, no someone, forcing her to fall on her behind.  
  
"Ouch," Serena whined, rubbing her behind in pain. She looked up to see what she bumped into, to see Ken standing above her. There was a large smirk on his face. Embarrassed, Serena quickly stood back up, blushing.  
  
"Aww, c'mon Serena," said Ken. "Don't get embarrassed so easily." He laughed, making Serena blush more. "Well anyway, I came here because I expected that you would be coming to work today. I think you forgot that you're on VACATION." Serena gasped in realization, only making Ken laugh harder. Seeing Serena's embarrassment, he quickly stopped himself.  
  
"Anyway," Ken continued, "I also came here because you forgot this." He handed her a locket. It was shaped like a gold star. Though it looked simplistic, it always filled her heart with warmth. It was indeed a treasure to her.  
  
"Th-thank you," Serena said, taking the locket from him.  
  
"I guess it fell out your box or something. Anyway, I just wanna say goodbye again." Serena nodded, smiling. Ken turned around to walk away. "Oh yeah," he said, turning around again. "Do you have any plans yet?"  
  
"Yes, actually," replied Serena, to Ken's surprise. "I'm visiting my parents on the Island." Ken smiled and nodded.  
  
"That should be fun. Well, enjoy your vacation. Bye, Tsukino." With that, he was gone. Serena smiled and closed the door. She then sat down on her bed, eyeing the locket in her hand. Her Grandmother gave it to her when she was a child. Supposedly, it was a symbol of love and binding. Serena smiled, opening it. It played a beautiful melody, as a crescent moon rotated around the center.  
  
"I don't know why I still keep this so close to me," Serena said, placing it on her bedside table. She sighed and lied back in her bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"I guess I should be going soon," she said, dreading having to drive all the way to Long Island. It was a good hour and a half ride, at least. Using the last of her strength, she stood up from her bed and walked into the shower.  
  
Once she was all cleaned up and dressed, she left her apartment and went into her car. The streets in the city were busy with people rushing to their jobs. Serena knew that it was going to be no fun trying to get out of the city.  
  
About an hour and a half later, Serena was at her destination. Like she predicted, the traffic was hideous, but once she was on the island, it was pretty smooth. Serena parked in front of her old house and looked up at it through her car window. The house was huge. It was two stories high, and went back very far, and was much longer than any of the other houses. It was a pure white, except for the polished oak door, and brown roof.  
  
The front lawn was neatly cut, and a rock path went all the way up to the front door, lined with flowers. Flowers of all sorts were along side of the house, making it seem livelier. Serena smiled. The house hadn't changed much since December, except for the flowers, of course. The skylights on top of the house reflected the sunlight brilliantly, making Serena squint as she looked at the house, memories running through her head. That house held many memories.  
  
Long Island had a much different, calmer atmosphere around it than the city. The grass, trees, and flowers alone added a lot to that fact. That wasn't it though. Just the smell of the air, and even people's attitudes are different. Whenever Serena was home, she felt eased. She began to wonder why she didn't visit home more often. Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Serena got out of her car and walked slowly up towards her front door.  
  
Serena's mom would be shocked to tears when she saw her daughter. Serena's father saw her more often though, since they worked for the same company. Then there was her sister. She knew that her sister would be angry with her. Serena had promised Jill over and over that she would be at her graduation. Serena was not very well at keeping her promises though. Serena took a deep breath. There was no turning back now.  
  
Slowly reaching up her hand, Serena rang the doorbell. Almost instantly, the door opened, revealing Serena's mother on the other side. She looked as she always did, with long, wavy blue hair. She was wearing an apron over her sundress. Instantly, her eyes filled with tears.  
  
"Serena?" she asked, almost not believing that her daughter stood in front of her. Serena smiled and nodded. "God, I missed you," Serena's mother said, bringing Serena in for a hug. They hugged for several minutes, silent tears coming from Serena's mother's eyes. Finally, they broke the hug and looked into each other's eyes.  
  
"Welcome home," Serena's mother said, smiling. Serena smiled in return, feeling tears begin to burn her own blue eyes. She definitely missed her home. "Well come inside. We don't have all day you know." Serena's mom winked at her. Serena smiled. Her mother hadn't changed one bit.  
  
Slowly, Serena followed her mom into the house, closing the door behind her. She looked around at her surroundings. The room she was in now had black couches lining the left and right walls. The walls were painted white. The floor was polished oak, and reflected its surroundings brilliantly. There were two lights lining the left and right walls.  
  
There was an archway straight ahead of her that led into the kitchen. Suddenly, Serena's stomach growled. Her mother laughed, turning to face her.  
  
"I see you're hungry," she said, making Serena blush. Her mother sighed. "You are still so shy, Serena. I'm your mother. You shouldn't be getting embarrassed around me." Serena only blushed more, making her mother laugh. "C'mon," she said, "I'll fix you something to eat." Serena smiled and nodded. If there is one things she never lost, it was her appetite.  
  
Serena followed her mother through the archway into the kitchen. Like the first room, the kitchen had a polished wood floor. It also had marble counter-tops, and a black fridge/freezer. The kitchen led to the dining room. The dining room had a large wood table in the center, surrounded by about a dozen chairs. It could easily fit about six more though. Above the table was a beautiful chandelier.  
  
Serena sat down at the table and read a magazine while her mother prepared her food. Serena always loved it when her mother made anything for her. Oddly, it always tasted far better than when she, or anybody else makes it. Serena wasn't much of a cook herself, so she usually ate fast food. It was good to have a home-cooked meal every once in a while though.  
  
"So where is everybody else?" Serena asked, skimming through her magazine.  
  
"Oh, your sister slept over a friend's house last night, and your father is out at the store. You know him, he won't be back for a while." Serena nodded. Her father had a thing for literally staying a store for hours. She wondered if her sister even knew she was there.  
  
"Mom?" asked Serena. "Umm.is Jill angry with me? I mean, for missing her graduation and stuff?" Her mother shook her head, not turning away from what she was doing. Serena could smell eggs, sausage, and bacon. She smiled, not smelling food like that for a long, long time.  
  
"No, not angry. She was very upset for about a week afterwards, but she got over it. She really wants to see you. She misses you." Serena nodded, relieved that her sister isn't angry with her. She was upset at the fact that she made her sister upset though. She decided then that she would make it up to her, somehow.  
  
"Done," Serena's mother said, placing the food down in front of Serena. It was three eggs and sausage on a roll with a side of bacon and toast. On another plate was a stack of pancakes. Serena's mouth watered as she looked at all the delicious food. She instantly began hogging it all down. Her mother smiled. Serena hadn't changed one bit.  
  
"So," said Serena as her mother sat down beside her, "there's a party going on tonight?" Her mother nodded.  
  
"Well, really just a big dinner, but you can call it a party if you want. At last, your father is retiring. Time sure does fly." Serena nodded. Indeed time did fly. Suddenly, she came to an epiphany.  
  
"Wait a second," she said, "Does this mean, that.that my BOSS will be here?" Her mother nodded, taking a sip of water. Serena sunk down in her seat. "How will I face him?" Her mother giggled.  
  
"And I heard he's bringing his son, too," her mother said, winking. This made Serena's eyes narrow. "I heard that he's a pretty handsome guy too. If I'm right, he's twenty six, and he's SINGLE."  
  
"Yippee," said Serena, with no enthusiasm whatsoever in her voice. "There's probably a real good reason why he's single, too. This guy's probably a real moron, just like his father." She took a bite out of her sandwich, suddenly losing her appetite.  
  
"Aww, Jack isn't such a bad guy. He's your BOSS! He's supposed to be a moron. I'm sure tonight you'll see a side of him you never knew he had." Serena simply rolled her eyes, taking another bite from her sandwich. Her mother always tries setting her up.  
  
"What's prince Charmin's name anyway?" asked Serena, trying not to sound interested. Her mother grinned.  
  
"It's Darien. Darien Shields." Serena nodded, taking a sip of orange juice. "Darien and Serena. Isn't it just perfect?" Serena rolled her eyes again.  
  
"Yeah, just as good as 'Serena Shields'. What a glorious name. See? Already there's solid proof it wouldn't work out, so just give up." Her mother sighed. Her daughter was always so difficult.  
  
"So what?" her mother asked. "You can't not like somebody because of his last name." Serena sighed.  
  
"If my first name and his last name don't sound right together, it means we're not compatible." It was now her mother's turn to roll her own eyes.  
  
"I think it sounds just fine." Serena smirked.  
  
"Yeah, considering." Her mother looked confused.  
  
"Considering what?" Serena grinned.  
  
"Considering that it's YOUR mind that thinks that." Her mother laughed. Since Serena was a teenager, they always teased like that. It showed the close bond they had, though at first glance it seemed they didn't get along.  
  
"Anyway, you look tired, Serena. Why don't you go up into your room and rest a bit? I hadn't touched it since last time you were here." Serena smiled and nodded, gathering together her dishes. "No, no, I'll do that," her mother said. "YOU get some rest." Serena smiled again, and ran upstairs.  
  
Once in the upstairs hallway, she went to the room on the far left. The door was closed, and had a winking bunny head hanged on it, with "Serena" written under it in pink letters. Serena smiled, and turned the doorknob, opening the door. Once the door was opened, she gasped. Her mother was right. The room hadn't changed one bit.  
  
Her bed was small, and was neatly made with a blanket on top, with crescent moons printed on it. It lied in front of a opened window, making the white curtains sway gently in the breeze. She looked into her mirror, smiling at herself. She was wearing a white, button-down shirt and a pair of black pants.  
  
"I look so conservative," she said, looking at herself at different angles. Suddenly, she grinned, an idea coming into her head. She walked over to her closet and opened it, quickly taking out a few articles of clothing, and putting them on. She was wearing a pink shirt with a heart on the front and blue overalls, with a bunny head on the front. She giggled, looking at herself in the mirror.  
  
Grinning, she decided to go downstairs and surprise her mother. Carelessly leaving her old clothes on the floor, she walked downstairs to see her mom washing dishes in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, mom," Serena said, making her mother turn around. The second she saw her daughter, she gasped.  
  
"Serena," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "You look so cute." Serena simply smiled. She knew her mother would love seeing her as the little girl she always was. Deep down, Serena hadn't changed much at all. Right then, there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Why don't you get it, Serena," said her mother. "It might be your sister." Serena nodded and ran to the door. She was extremely excited to see her little sister again, though she was afraid that Jill might still be angry with her. Reaching for the doorknob, Serena slowly opened it. Instantly, the girl on the other side of the door gasped.  
  
The girl was around the same height as Serena, and had wavy brown hair that reached just below her shoulders. She had gentle green eyes, but lacked as much of the innocence that Serena showed in her eyes. Tears formed in the girl's eyes as she stared at Serena.  
  
"Se-re-na?" the girl choked. Serena nodded, tears in her own eyes. The girl jumped into her arms and hugged her tightly. Serena hugged her back equally as tightly, tears pouring down her face.  
  
"I missed you, Jill," Serena said. Jill sniffled and nodded, her face buried in Serena's shoulder. They stood like this for several minutes as their mother watched in the background, tears in her own eyes. Serena and Jill were always close, despite their usual bickering. To see them come back together after so long was a very touching scene.  
  
Finally, they broke the hug, both of them wiping the tears from their eyes. Jill smiled at her sister, and Serena smiled back. All of Serena's fears vanished right at that moment.  
  
"Wow," Jill said, her voice cracking slightly. "You don't look all grown up today. Usually whenever I see you, you're wearing that suit of yours. It makes you look too OLD." Serena laughed. She hated the suit too.  
  
"Yeah, I know," she said, rolling her eyes. "I feel old, too. Wow, it's so great to be back home. I can't wait until dad comes back." Serena's mother smiled.  
  
"How about you two catch up on old times while I finish up the dishes." Serena and Jill nodded, giggling. It wasn't too often that their mother let them get away without doing the dishes. It was their lucky day. They both went upstairs and into Serena's room, sitting down on her bed.  
  
"I forgot how good my bed feels," Serena said, lying back, her head falling onto Jill's lap. Jill smiled. When Serena was her age, she was always in Serena's position. She would lie down, her head on Serena's lap, and they would talk for hours. A tear formed in her eye as she remembered.  
  
"So, you still going out with Greg?" Serena asked. Jill smiled and nodded.  
  
"It's one year tomorrow!" Serena sat up and smiled at her sister.  
  
"Wow, that's so great, Jill." Jill smiled proudly. For Jill to keep a boyfriend for longer than a week was a miracle. For her to have a boyfriend for a whole year? There was definitely something special.  
  
"So how about YOU, Serena? You have a boyfriend by now, right?" Serena blushed.  
  
"Well.uhh.not really." Jill gasped.  
  
"WHAT!?" shouted Jill, making Serena cringe. "Why not, Serena? I mean, you're beautiful, smart, and have a great personality. Every guy in school desired you, and you are STILL single?" Serena swallowed and nodded.  
  
"Well, I.I don't talk very well with guys. I don't know how to speak to them, so.umm.no." Jill sighed. It was obvious that Serena wanted a boyfriend. It wasn't too often she heard of the girl being the shy one.  
  
"Well, I heard a rumor," said Jill, grinning slyly. Serena gulped. Her sister could be deadly around gossip.  
  
"Wh-what?" asked Serena. Deep down, she didn't want to know. Her sister definitely had something planned.  
  
"Well, your boss is bringing his son tonight," Jill said. Serena grimaced. Jill was acting exactly like her mother. "I heard he's HOT, and single, too. I'm gonna make tonight your lucky night, Sere." Serena quickly shook her head, holding up her hands in defense. The last thing she needed was to be hooked up by her mother and sister. She knew it would end in embarrassment.  
  
"No, no, no," Serena begged. "I'll talk to him, I promise. Just don't butt in. Promise me you won't." Jill looked like she was thinking it over. "Pleeeeeaaaase?" Serena asked. Jill loved making her sister beg like this. She had done this several times in the past. Jill grinned.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Jill said, making Serena sigh in relief. "But you better try to get a few moves on him.or else.!" Serena shivered as she thought about what Jill could possibly mean by that. Jill smirked. "Well, I need to run to the store and a few other places," Jill said, standing up. "Why don't you come with me?" Serena was just about to get ready, until Jill continued, "We can buy you something to wear." Jill winked, making Serena wonder what type of outfits her naughty little sister was going to pick up.  
  
"I think I'll pass," Serena said quickly. Jill grinned at her wickedly, making Serena gulp. She definitely had SOMETHING planned. "Let me get ready." Jill smiled and nodded before skipping out of the room. Once she was gone, Serena sighed in defeat. "I'm doomed," she cried before flopping down on the bed. Tonight was definitely going to be one to remember. 


	3. Part 3

Hey, guys! Yes, finally the next chapter is up. I'm sorry for the delay, but school's getting tough now, with a report due every other day. Anyway, I'm beginning to get used to this pattern now, so I'll be getting out the next chapters (hopefully) sooner. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Please R&R! Later!  
  
P.S. Check out my other fic, "The New Sailor Moon World". It's (in my opinion) reeeaaaaly good. Well, I won't bug you anymore. Enjoy the story =Þ!  
  
Serena slowly stood up and even more slowly walked to her closet, her shoulders slumped. She felt she was just hit by a bus. She dug though her closet and pulled out her purse. She had gotten it two years before. It was white and had a pink bunny on the front. Serena smiled and reached into her pocket to pull out her wallet. She opened it and gasped, quickly closing it. She opened it, looked inside, and quickly closed it again.  
  
"I HAVE NO MONEY," Serena cried. Her mother quickly ran into her room, worried.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked. Serena turned to her and then down at her wallet, then back to her.  
  
"I'M BROKE," she cried. Her mother rolled her eyes and walked out the door. Just to make sure, Serena turned her wallet upside down and shook it. All that came out was a piece of lint, but it was quickly carried away by the wind coming from the window. Right then, however, an idea popped into her head, making her smile.  
  
"Well I guess I can't go out now," she announced, bouncing to her feet. She turned to the door to see Jill leaning against it, grinning. Her grin made Serena's become a frown.  
  
"Don't worry, dear sister," Jill said slyly, "I'll pay for you." She waved around her credit card to stress her point. Serena had to get out of this some way or another.  
  
"Like you have enough money," Serena retorted in a last dying effort. Her sister grinned, making Serena droop again. Game over!  
  
"Remember that clothing store I used to work at?" Jill asked. Serena used to love that place. "Well, I was recently promoted to manager, so I got tons of money now." She smiled in satisfaction. Serena's eyes narrowed.  
  
'My little sister is probably making more than me,' Serena thought pathetically. Right then, Jill grabbed her hand and dragged her out the door.  
  
"Let's go," she chirped, dragging the helpless girl down the stairs. "BYE MOM," she called as she dragged Serena out the front door. Serena gasped when she saw a red Mustang in the driveway.  
  
"Who's car is that?" she asked. 'No way,' she thought, slowly turning her head to Jill, her mouth open in shock. Jill smiled at her and nodded. Serena slowly turned her head back to the car. If this was a sign of things to come, Serena would be dead by the end of the day.  
  
"I'll drive," Jill said, running to the car. Serena regained her composure slightly and walked into the passenger seat. Serena could tell that her sister had not improved in driving much from the last time she drove with her. Last time, they almost got into ten accidents, and this time wasn't any different. By the time they reached the mall, Serena's head was spinning.  
  
"We're there," Jill chirped. Serena could only nod and quickly open the door and run out of the car as quickly as possible. She decided then that next time, she'd drive. They both walked into the mall, Serena dragging far behind. Once they were inside, Jill grinned at all the stores around them. People were walking around in every direction, hitting several stores. Serena always found the amount of people in malls overwhelming. She would much rather be in a place with a smaller crowd.  
  
Serena noticed many men turning their heads to face her. Most received a slap on the side of the head by their jealous girlfriends. Serena blushed. Jill, noticing this, sighed.  
  
"Serena," Jill sighed. Serena rolled her eyes. She knew very well what was about to happen. "You should be flattered," Jill said. "I wish I had so many guys looking me over like that." Her eyes had a far-away look in them at the thought. Serena shrugged.  
  
"What, it's the way I am," Serena retorted. Jill simply rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand, grinning. She began dragging her further into the mall.  
  
"Well, you ARE going to be talking to that guy tomorrow," said Jill. "And you ARE going to hook up with him." Serena was about to say something, but Jill turned her head and glared at her evilly. Serena shut her mouth. "Or else," Jill said, stressing the "else". Serena gulped.  
  
"I-I'll try my best," Serena stuttered, forcing a crooked grin. Jill smiled sweetly and continued dragging Serena through the mall. After walking around for a few minutes, Jill squealed in delight. Sighing, Serena decided to look at what got her so excited. She had to hold back her scream.  
  
"2 CUTE? YOU'RE BRINGING ME HERE?" Serena cried. Jill covered her ears, and everybody walking around their area stopped and looked at the girl. "THIS IS A TEENY STORE!" Serena continued. Jill grinned.  
  
"Well, I'm trying to find you the PERFECT dress for the guy tonight," Jill said. Jill had no intention of bringing Serena in there, however. She just wanted to get a reaction out of her older sister. Obviously, she got one. Jill laughed, "I was just kidding!" Serena clenched her teeth, rising up her fist. Jill only grinned in return.  
  
"You don't want me interfering, right?" Jill threatened. Serena shook her head and lowered her fist. She realized then that Jill had her cornered, right where she wanted her. Jill then smiled innocently, and led Serena around the mall again. They ended up in Lord & Taylor, to where Jill dragged Serena to where the dresses were.  
  
"Now," said Jill, standing in thought, "what should you wear tonight?" Serena stood uncomfortably as Jill looked around. It had been years since Serena had worn a dress for an occasion except a work party. Those dresses were always conservative, however. She couldn't recall when she last wore a flashy dress.  
  
"Try this one," Jill said, knocking Serena away from her thoughts. Jill was holding a long black dress, which had a white slip going down the back. It was cut fairly low, but high enough that guys would still have to use their imaginations. Serena's eyes widened.  
  
"It's so cute," she said, eyeing the dress. She, herself, was surprised that Jill actually picked out a good dress. Serena took it and walked into the dressing room. After a few minutes, she was out again. Serena stepped out, smiling. Jill gasped. Serena spun herself around to show the dress to Jill. The dress hugged Serena perfectly, showing off every curve. Still, however, the dress still looked classy. The skirt dragged the ground slightly, and the back trailed the floor a few inches behind her.  
  
The dress had two straps going over her shoulders, and no pack until just below her midsection. Jill smiled and nodded. Serena giggled and looked at herself in the tall mirror. She spun around again to look at herself. Once she was done, she giggled again and turned to Jill.  
  
"I feel so beautiful," Serena said, happily. Jill nodded in agreement. She had actually spotted the dress a few days prior, and realized that it was perfect for Serena.  
  
"You are beautiful," Jill said, tears in her eyes. "You look like a princess." Serena blushed. A few guys who were walking past her turned their heads, only to once again be hit by his girlfriend next to him. Serena blushed more, and turned to Jill.  
  
"Umm," began Serena, nervously, "Let's go, okay?" Jill simply sighed and nodded, dropping her head into her hand. Serena went back into the dressing room and changed her dress before coming back out. She and Jill brought it to the checkout. The woman behind it wordlessly took it and scanned it.  
  
"One hundred and forty eight dollars?" Serena gasped. Right then, Jill held out her credit card. Serena gasped again, "No, you can't!" Jill just smiled and nodded.  
  
"Hey, don't worry, Sere," Jill said. "It's on me." She handed the lady her credit card while Serena just shook her head in disbelief. She wished she had the money to just spend like that. "Remember," Jill said, "I want you to look your best for that guy tonight." Serena cringed. She had forgotten all about him, and wanted to keep it that way.  
  
"Well," Jill said, handing the bagged dress to Serena, "Let's get home. Lunch should be done soon." Serena nodded, and they both left the mall. On the way out, Serena was deep in thought. She never noticed the person walking right towards her until *CRASH*!  
  
Serena fell to the ground, but quickly stood up, blushing at the amount of people looking at her. She quickly bowed to apologize.  
  
"I'm so sorry I hit you," Serena said quickly. "I wasn't looking! Please don't get angry! Please! I'm soooooo sorry!" She was quickly cut off by friendly laughter. She swallowed and looked up. Instantly, she gasped. Ahead of her stood a tall man with midnight black hair. He had dark, ocean- blue eyes. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with a black tie, and black pants. Over his shoulder hung a black jacket.  
  
This man was well tanned, and even with his clothing on, looked well built. Serena swallowed and opened her mouth. She couldn't find her voice, though.  
  
"It's okay," the man spoke in a firm, but friendly voice. "I wasn't looking either." His eyes turned worried, "Are you hurt at all, miss?" Serena slowly shook her head. "Good," said the man, smiling. He began walking away. "Have a nice day," he called behind him. With that, he was gone. Jill stood still, drooling.  
  
"OH MY GOD!" Jill squealed, tugging Serena's arm. "You are soooo lucky, Sere," Jill said, jealous. Serena only managed to nod, still unable to find her voice. Suddenly, Jill looked confused, but she quickly smirked. Serena almost instantly fell out of her trance.  
  
"No, no, it isn't what you think at all," Serena quickly said, waving her arms. "I was just in shock from the fall, really." Jill's grin only widened. Even to the untrained eye, it was obvious that Serena had the hots for the guy.  
  
"Just admit it, Sere," Jill said, "You have the hots for that guy." Serena just shook her head. Jill sighed. She was beginning to have enough of these games. "JUST ADMIT IT! STOP BEING SO STUPID!" Serena swallowed.  
  
"OKAY, OKAY ALREADY! THAT GUY WAS HOT! HE WAS THE HOTTEST GUY I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! YOU HAPPY?" Serena screamed. Jill gulped and nodded, but quickly grinned.  
  
"Umm, is this yours, miss?" asked a voice from behind them. Serena froze dead in her feet. Even though she had just "met" the guy, she already recognized the voice. Slowly, and painfully, Serena turned her head to face the man behind her. As she expected, it was the same man she bumped into earlier. He had a friendly smile across his face. In his hand was her wallet.  
  
"I believe I picked it up on accident," the man said. Slowly, Serena took the wallet from his hand. The man grinned playfully. "So," began the man in a teasing voice, "who is that 'hot' guy you were talking about?" Serena stopped breathing. She felt everything around her become dark.  
  
'Oh no,' Serena thought to herself nervously, 'he heard me.' Realizing that she wasn't breathing, Serena quickly forced herself to again. "I." Serena said gasped. "I'M SORRY!" She finished saying, crying, running away. The man stepped forward in shock, then stopped, stepping back again. He turned to her sister, who was just gaping at where Serena was just standing in shock.  
  
"What did I say?" the man asked. Jill sighed and looked up at him. Forcing a grin, she shrugged.  
  
"Ah, don't worry, it was nothing you said." With that, she hurried after Serena. The man blinked, then turned around, continuing towards the mall.  
  
"I must say," he thought aloud as he walked. "That girl was pretty cute." He smiled and walked into the mall. He had to buy something to wear to the party that night.  
  
Serena ran to Jill's car, tears in her eyes. Once she made it to the car, she collapsed against it, holding back her tears. Soon after, Jill made it to her.  
  
"Serena, are you okay?" Jill asked. Serena didn't answer. She just stayed where she was, her head between her folded arms. "I'm sorry," Jill said, looking at the floor. "It was all my fault. If I wouldn't have brought you here, this wouldn't have."  
  
"No, no, it isn't your fault," Serena interrupted, standing up. She turned to face Jill and forced a smile. Jill's eyes narrowed. Serena's smile had none of its usual radiance in it. It was obvious that the smile was forced. "I was an idiot. I shouldn't have yelled it out like that." She sighed and leant back against the car. "I'm such an idiot," she said.  
  
"Don't say that," Jill said in a commanding voice. Serena looked at her, puzzled. "Don't say that. If you never have confidence in yourself, you'll get nowhere in life." Serena gasped.  
  
'Do I.lack confidence?' Serena asked herself. 'Is that why I do so badly at work? Is that also why I never had a real boyfriend?' She sighed and looked down at the pavement. "I just can't help it," Serena said in a defeated tone of voice. "I just can't help the way I am. I'm going to be single forever," Serena said, her voice cracking at the end. Jill sighed and placed her hand on Serena's shoulder. Serena looked up at her, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Don't think that way," Jill said, soothingly. In actuality, however, she was trying to hold back her own tears. She couldn't stand seeing her sister hurt. "Come on," she said, "let's get home before lunch." Serena smiled and nodded. They both sat down in the car and drove out of the parking lot.  
  
The drive home was silent. Serena was still thinking about what had happened earlier. When she saw the man, she felt a feeling she had never felt in her entire life. She didn't know what it was, but all she knew was her entire body felt warm all over just by looking into his eyes. She sighed and sat back. Jill watched her out of the corner of her eyes. She, herself, sighed. She still felt it was all her fault.  
  
Once they made it home, both Serena and Jill walked slowly into the house. Serena opened the door, and Jill followed her slowly inside.  
  
"You're just in time," said their mother's voice from the kitchen. "I just fixed lunch." Right then, Serena's eyes brightened, making Jill giggle. It was always good to know that if Serena were ever down, food would cheer her right back up again. They both hurried to the kitchen and greeted their mother before sitting down.  
  
The lunch was simple: grilled cheese sandwiches. Serena didn't hesitate a second before swiping two from the plate. Jill smiled and took a sandwich of her own. Their mother sat down soon to join them.  
  
"So," began their mother, "What did you guys get?" Jill's eyes brightened as she remembered the dress. Serena, on the other hand, remembered what the dress was for. She thought the dress was beautiful, but was still shady on wearing it that night.  
  
"We got a beautiful dress for Serena to wear tonight," Jill said, taking a bite from her sandwich. Their mother smiled and turned to Serena, who was reaching for her third sandwich.  
  
"Trying to impress somebody tonight?" asked her mom, winking. Serena blushed, and continued eating her sandwich. Their mother turned back to Jill. "What are you wearing tonight?" she asked. Jill smiled.  
  
"I'm going to wear my graduation dress," Jill said. Their mother nodded, her smile widening. It was a beautiful dress. There was silence again. Serena reached for her forth sandwich, and her mother and Jill looked at each other, giggling. Serena blushed, but still began eating the sandwich. Her mother's eyes opened wide as she remembered something.  
  
"Oh yeah," she said to Serena, who asked "what" with her eyes, unable to speak with a full mouth. "Your friends called today. They miss you a lot and want to see you." Serena, who had swallowed her food by that time, gasped. She had forgotten all about her friends. "Actually," their mother continued, "I have an idea. Why don't you invite them over tonight? We've known them since they were children, and are like part of the family. They are all welcomed." Serena smiled brightly and bounced to her feet.  
  
"Thanks, mommy," Serena said, giving her a kiss. "I'll call them right now." With that, she ran to the other room to use the phone. Jill giggled, making her mother giggle in return. Ever since Serena returned earlier that day, she had slowly been returning to her normal self. It was a relief, for the most part. They didn't like the mature and conservative Serena as much.  
  
Serena picked up the phone in the next room and quickly called her closest friend. After a few rings, the phone was picked up.  
  
"Hello?" asked an energetic voice from the other side. Serena giggled softly. She instantly recognized the voice as the one of her friend. She knew for a fact that she would be shocked to hear that she was back home, and for a whole two weeks. She grinned as she thought of what everybody's reaction would be.  
  
"Hi, Mina," Serena said. There was silence, followed by more silence, and then even more silence. "Uhh, hello?" Serena asked. Out of all the reactions she imagined, she did not imagine this one. Still, more silence, then a sudden gasp.  
  
"Se-Serena?" asked Mina. Serena giggled, making Mina scream with Joy. "OH MY GOD," Mina squealed, making Serena cringe back. "IT'S BEEN SOOOO LONG SINCE YOU CALLED! HOW ARE YOU?" Serena laughed. There was something about Mina that just always made her smile.  
  
"Well actually," Serena started, "I'm home right now, on vacation." Mina gasped. Out of all the things that Mina expected her to say, it was definitely not that.  
  
"Is this a joke?" Mina asked, seriously. Serena laughed, then suddenly stopped. She wondered if everybody viewed her of that much of a work-a- holic.  
  
'I guess I DID need this break,' Serena thought to herself before answering, "Nope, I'm home right now." She heard Mina squeal again. "I wanted to ask you if you were free tonight. My father is having a retirement party and I want you and the others to come. It would be great to see you again."  
  
"And there's gonna be a hot guy there, too," Jill cut in on her own phone. Serena and Mina both gasped. "And Serena's gonna hook up with him," Jill continued. Serena clenched her fist and looked behind her. Jill was standing behind her, leaning against the wall on the cordless phone, winking. Serena sighed.  
  
"Wait a second," Mina said. "You still don't have a boyfriend?" Ouch, that one hurt. Serena sighed. She should have known that this conversation would come up eventually. She had been trying to avoid in entirely. She reminded herself to kill Jill once this whole thing was over.  
  
"Well, last time I checked, you were no different," Serena retorted. She patted herself on the back. She was proud to have thought of such a witty comeback. Then suddenly, Mina began laughing. Serena sighed, knowing right then she lost this battle.  
  
"Well actually," Mina started, "I began dating that pub owner. You know, Andrew?" Serena remembered him well. That was a long time ago. She and Mina went to the pub to get a bite to eat, and Mina was flirting with a cute blonde guy most of the time. She never would have expected that it would turn to a serious relationship, however.  
  
"Anyway," Mina said, "I'll call the others for you, and we'll all come down there soon." Serena smiled, partially because her friends were coming over, and partially because the whole talk about boyfriends was over. Serena heard a doorbell ring in the background. "Well, I gotta go," Mina said. "That's Lita right now. We were supposed to go shopping today, but that can wait, right?" Serena could almost see her winking. "Later!" she chirped before hanging up the phone, not giving Serena time to say her own goodbyes.  
  
"Mina hasn't changed a bit," Serena said, smiling. She hung up the phone and skipped upstairs to her room. She had to get ready for the party. After showering, Serena put on her dress. She smiled again as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had to admit that she looked beautiful. Se giggled and walked across the room to her makeup drawer. Usually, she didn't wear any makeup, but she decided that she needed a little something to go with the dress.  
  
While looking through her drawer, she noticed a gold star-shaped locket. She smiled as she looked at it. She could never forget the day she received it. It had been so many years ago, but still, she considered it one of the most special days of her life. She smiled as she remembered.  
  
Serena stood on her front lawn. She was about five years old, with blonde hair put up in two buns on the top of her head. Short pigtails ran down from each one. She was wearing a pink shirt and denim overalls. Next to her was a slightly older-looking boy. He had black hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a white shirt and black shorts.  
  
"Why do you have to go?" Serena wined. The boy slumped his shoulders. It was obvious by the looks in their eyes that they were both about to cry any second then.  
  
"I dunno," the boy said. "Mom's makin' me go! I don't wanna!" He kicked the ground with his foot. Serena swallowed, trying to hold back her tears. She couldn't though. She began sniffling, tears pouring down her face. The boy smiled.  
  
"Hey, you know what?" he asked, making Serena look up at him. "You can borrow this," he said, grinning. He held out a gold star-shaped locket. "You always liked it, right?" he asked. Serena looked at it, then back at him.  
  
"But your grandma gave that to you," Serena said through tears. The boy shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I never said you can have it," he said, smiling. Serena giggled. "Just, uhh.think of me when you open it." He laughed, putting his hand behind his head, blushing. "Haha, I saw that in some movie the other day!" Serena giggled and took the locket from him.  
  
"You better come back for this," Serena said. The boy nodded and grinned. Right then, Serena smiled shyly and leant forward, kissing the boy on his cheek. He blushed, his eyes opened wide. Serena giggled and blushed.  
  
"Come on, we're going," called a voice from behind them. Tears began pouring out of Serena's eyes again. He was her best friend. She didn't want him to go.  
  
"I gotta go," the boy said, before waking way. Serena stepped forward but stopped. She looked down at the locket, then back up at him, tears in her eyes.  
  
"YOU BETTER COME BACK FOR THIS!" Serena cried. "YOU PROMISED!" The boy stopped and turned around. He smiled at her and nodded again, before running away into the car. Soon after, the car drove away. Serena fell to her knees, holding the locket, sobbing.  
  
'He never came back,' Serena thought sadly, coming back to reality. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat down on her bed. "Like I care," she said, putting the locket back into the drawer. "It was some childish gibberish anyway." She lied back and stared at her ceiling. "I wish I could remember his name." Right then, she heard the doorbell ring.  
  
I wonder who's at the door? Is it Serena's friends, or did the guests arrive early? Hmm.you'll have to find out for yourself! =Þ Anyway, I should have the next chapter up in a few days. REMEMBER to also check out my other fic: "The New Sailor Moon World!" I have been putting my heart and soul into that fic, and NOBODY reads it -_-!!! Anyway, I would appreciate it if you guys check it out. Well, later! 


	4. Part 4

Hi, guys! As I promised, I got chapter four up much sooner. I'm not very satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but that's just my opinion. I'll try my best to remedy this next chapter. Anyway, we should be seeing part five soon, so keep reading. Remember to R&R!!!  
  
Serena quickly sat up, excited. She ran out of her room and down the stairs. She ran to the front door and stopped. Quickly, she gulped and eyed the door suspiciously.  
  
"What if it's my boss, and that.guy?" Serena asked herself aloud, her voice lowering at the very thought of him. "But still," Serena continued, "It might be my friends." The doorbell rang again and Serena took a step back. She had no idea what to do.  
  
"SERENA, CAN YOU GET THAT?" called her mother's voice from the kitchen. Serena swallowed up the last of her uneasiness and reached out slowly for the doorknob. Even more slowly, she turned it, and then carefully pulled it open. Once it was halfway open, it suddenly pushed in the rest of the way, making Serena stumble back.  
  
Serena looked up and gasped. Standing at the door were her four friends. In the front of them all stood a girl with long raven-black hair, and purple eyes. She was wearing a tight red dress that reached down to her ankles. Under the dress, she was wearing red heals. Around her neck was a necklace made of little white flowers. She had her arms crossed, a snug look across her face.  
  
"Took you long enough, meatball brains," the girl said sarcastically. Serena's eyes narrowed.  
  
"That was you, Raye?" Serena asked angrily. "You shouldn't just push the door open like that." Raye giggled, making Serena smile. She and Raye had always has this sort of relationship. At first glance, they didn't even seem like friends. The truth, however, is Raye was one of her best friends, even though they seem to only bicker non-stop.  
  
"But what if it wasn't me at the door?" Serena teased. Raye's eyes widened. She hadn't thought of that. Serena giggled and hugged her, Raye hugging her back soon after. "It's so great to see you again," Serena said, smiling. Raye nodded, breaking the hug. Serena then looked up at the other girls.  
  
On the left stood a short girl with medium-length blue hair, down to her shoulders. She had blue eyes, and was wearing thick glasses. She was also wearing a long blue flower-print dress that hung to her ankles. She was wearing blue heals under them. Serena couldn't help but notice her large stomach.  
  
"OH MY GOD!" Serena squealed. "YOU'RE PREGNANT!?" Amy blushed and nodded, placing her hand of her stomach. Like Serena, she had also been shy her entire life. Serena always wondered how she managed to get married before her. She felt a slight pang of jealousy, but she shook it off. "I'm so excited," she said, her face practically glowing. Serena then looked to the girl next to Amy.  
  
"Mina?" asked Serena. The girl smiled. She had long blonde hair that reached to the small of her back. She had blue eyes, exactly like Serena's. She was wearing a pink sweater and a short white skirt with white heals. She giggled, making Serena giggle back. Mina had always been Serena's best friend. Their entire lives, they always looked exactly alike. Actually, they were often mistaken for twins.  
  
Serena then turned her attention to the last girl. She was tall with medium-length brown hair, done in a ponytail. She had green eyes, and was wearing a green sweater with jean-shorts. She was wearing white sneakers under them. She grinned at Serena.  
  
"It's so good to see you again, Lita," Serena said, smiling brightly. She had first met Lita in second grade, when Serena was being picked on by a group of older boys. Lita came by and beat them all up. Ever since then, they had been good friends. Do to Lita's violent nature, she never had many friends. Serena was her first friend, and in Lita's opinion, best friend.  
  
"Everybody," Serena said, her voice cracking, tears in her eyes. "It's so good to see you all again." They all nodded, in the same condition as Serena. Suddenly, they all cried and joined in a group hug. Serena's mother watched in the background, tears in her own eyes. Serena and her friends had always been so close. They were more than friends, but sisters to each other. To see them all reunite after such long of a time was definitely an experience.  
  
After hugging for several minutes, they broke the hug, giggling, while wiping their eyes. Serena smiled at all of them once more.  
  
"Well, come in," Serena said. The girls nodded and followed her into the house. Once inside, all the girls turned to Serena's mother and smiled.  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Tsukino," They all said simultaneously. Serena's mother giggled and nodded, making the others giggle as well. They then all followed Serena up into her room. Once there, Mina instantly lied on Serena's bed. Serena sat down next to her. Lita leaned against the wall, and Raye sat down on the floor, and Amy carefully sat down on a chair. Mina looked around the room and giggled.  
  
"My, doesn't this bring back memories," Mina said, a far-away look on her face. The others nodded. When they were all teenagers, they sat in the same room, the way they were now, and talked for hours. They always talked of the latest gossip, the cutest boys, school, and just about everything else. They even studied for their regents and SAT's together in this same room. When in elementary school, they played dolls together in this same room.  
  
Serena felt tears stinging her eyes as she remembered. Her room held countless memories. She had forgotten how much she lost when she moved to Manhattan. She wished that it could be the same as it was ten years ago. She sighed and held her knees to her chest. Even her and that boy had played in this very room when they were children. This was the room she cried in all weekend when he moved.  
  
The other girls looked up at Serena, who was sitting on the bed, her arms hugging her knees. She had a sad and far-away look on her face. Mina sat up and looked at Serena, worried. Lita knelt over in front of her.  
  
"You okay?" Lita asked. Serena blinked and looked at Lita in the eyes. Serena nodded and smiled at everybody to reassure them that all was all right. Lita nodded and leant against the wall again.  
  
"Sorry guys," Serena said. "I was just reminiscing." The others nodded. They knew exactly what she was talking about. Serena laughed and looked at everybody again. "So what do you wanna talk about?" she asked, trying to change the topic. Mina's eyes brightened.  
  
"How about we talk about that guy that's coming over tonight?" Mina asked, winking. Serena gasped. She had hoped Mina forgot about that. Lita grinned, now interested. Amy just sat back, listening. Raye jumped to her feet, disbelief across her face.  
  
"Serena has a boyfriend?" Raye asked, shocked. "I refuse to believe it." Serena glared at her angrily. Raye only snickered in return.  
  
"Well, for one thing, he's not my boyfriend," Serena said. "As a matter of fact," she continued, "I haven't even met him before?" Amy gasped, making everybody turn to her.  
  
"You're so desperate that you are going on a blind date now?" Amy asked. Serena almost screamed. Lita held back her laughter. She found this all quite amusing. It felt like old times again.  
  
"It is NOT a date," Serena said as a matter-of-factly. "My boss is coming over tonight and he's bringing Darien over." Lita sighed looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"Darien," Lita sighed, "what a romantic name." Mina giggled, making Serena's eyes narrow. She knew Mina was about to say something that would most likely embarrass Serena.  
  
"Serena and Darien," Mina said, holding her index finger up, as if making a point. "Isn't it just so catchy? There's no doubt in my mind these two are meant for each other." Serena sighed and shook her head. She knew that against the four of them, she couldn't win. Right then, Serena grinned. She quickly looked up at Raye, making her step back.  
  
"And you aren't one to speak, Raye," Serena said, grinning. "I don't see a guy in YOUR life." Raye stepped back, her eyes opened wide. The other girls turned their attention to her. She looked at all of them and blushed.  
  
"That's true, but." Raye said, finding that there was nothing she could say. "Well, I have a better chance then you do, meatball head," she said in one last effort. Serena's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Yeah right," Serena said. "And I don have my 'meatballs' anymore. So there!" She stuck her tongue out at Raye. Raye stuck out her tongue back. Everybody else sighed.  
  
"They're still children," Amy sighed, smiling. It was nice to see everybody together, and so happy. Seeing everybody happy made her happy. She sighed and placed her hand on her stomach. Soon, she was going to have a child of her own. She smiled, wondering if her daughter would be friends with everybody else's children some day. She sure hoped so.  
  
Right then, there was a knock at the door. Serena stood up and opened it. Standing behind it was Jill, grinning. Serena's eyes narrowed. As if the gossip surrounding her was bad enough, now it was time for Jill to make things worse. Jill's ability to bend the truth was deadly. Serena knew that she was going to get it from all her friends.  
  
"What do you want?" asked Serena, emotionlessly. Jill grinned closing her eyes. Though to most people this would make her look cute, to Serena, it made her look sneaky.  
  
"What, I can't hang out with you guys?" Jill asked, trying to sound upset. "I've known them my whole lives, you know. Serena sighed. She knew that she would have to let Jill in. Serena stepped aside and Jill walked in. "Hey guys," Jill said, smiling at the girls. They all smiled back and gave their own helloes.  
  
Unlike Serena, her friends saw Jill almost constantly. She walked in the room, and claimed Serena's seat on the bed. Serena gasped, lunging forward.  
  
"That was my seat," Serena wined. Jill giggled, making herself comfortable. Serena sighed. She knew she wasn't going to be getting her seat back anytime soon. Serena reluctantly sat on the floor next to Raye.  
  
"So, what are you guys talking about?" asked Jill, already having a good idea what it was. Raye grinned and looked down at the younger girl.  
  
"Well," began Raye, "we're talking about this guy that's coming over tonight." She diverted her eyes to Serena. She knew that Serena hated talking about this sort of stuff. She knew that this would have an effect on her. Serena turned her attention back to Jill, who had a wide grin across her face. Serena wanted to slap that grin right off her face then and there.  
  
"Ahh, I see," said Jill. "I heard that he's a hunk, too." Everybody gasped. Jill's grin widened. "And his name's Darien. Doesn't 'Serena and Darien' just have a ring to it?" Everyone giggled and nodded in agreement. Serena tried to remember where she heard that one before. "And last, but not least, Serena's gonna try to hook up with him tonight. Isn't that great?"  
  
Everyone that was sitting down, except for Jill, suddenly stood up. Lita stood straight. They all turned their attention to Serena, who was still sitting on the floor. At that moment, she felt far smaller than she was. She blushed, not knowing what to do.  
  
"SERENA, EVERYBODY, COME DOWNSTAIRS!" called Serena's mother's voice from downstairs. Serena sighed in relief. She had to remember to thank her mother later. Serena quickly stood up and opened her door. The others all followed her out the door and down the stairs. They all walked in to the kitchen. Standing there was Serena's father, back faced to Serena, talking to her mother.  
  
"DADDY!" cried Serena, making her father turn around to face her. He gasped and Serena lunged forward, hugging him. "Daddy, I missed you," Serena whispered, hugging him. Though they saw each other more often then Serena saw the others, she had always favored her father the most. They were extremely close, and even being gone for a little while hurt Serena.  
  
Serena's father smiled, rubbing her hair with his hand. He was a tall, skinny man. He had short black hair, brushed to the side, and thick glasses. Though at first glance, he seemed sort of nerdish, he was actually quite handsome, and looked only half his age. They broke the hug and Serena smiled up at him, tears in her eyes. Her friends and Jill all watched, smiling, Darien forgotten.  
  
"So how long are you back for, Serena?" Her father asked. Serena wiped her eyes and smiled at him. She knew he would be surprised when he heard the length of time she would be back for.  
  
"Two weeks," Serena said, smiling. Her father looked surprised, but he quickly smiled. Serena's friends could not hold back their gasps, however.  
  
"Two whole weeks?" asked Lita, surprised. She would have been surprised if it was only three days, let alone two whole weeks. "Are you feeling okay?" Lita asked, quickly running over to Serena and feeling her forehead. Serena giggled and turned to her friends.  
  
"I'm fine, Lita," Serena said. She smiled widely, "At first, I didn't want to take my vacation. But now that I'm home, and with all you guys, I never want it to end." Her friends all smiled, and they ran to her, hugging her again. Serena's father laughed and turned to his wife.  
  
"It's great to see that they hadn't changed a bit," he said, laughing. His wife nodded, smiling at the group of girls. He turned to them as well. He too was happy that Serena returned. As a matter of fact, it was partially his idea to put Serena on vacation. He was the one who brought it up to Serena's boss. By the look of things, the idea was perfect.  
  
The girls all broke their hug and giggled. While they were giggling, there was a knock at the door. Serena gasped, her eyes opened wide. She knew for a fact that there was now only one person who could come. She swallowed, turning her head slowly to the door.  
  
"I'll get that," her father announced, walking to the door. Once he made it to the door, he quickly pulled it open. To Serena, however, it looked as if it was happening in slow motion. Once the door was open, Serena sighed in relief. Behind the door stood her father's old friend.  
  
"Hey, Jim," Serena's father said, shaking the man's hand. He was the same age as her father, but he showed his age more. He had black hair combed to the side, and a black beard. His hair had many gray strands, as did his beard. He was a big man, and gave the appearance that he was once very handsome in his younger days.  
  
Next to Jim stood his wife. She was tall, with dirty blonde hair, down to her shoulders. Serena's mother walked up to her and they kissed. Serena sighed once again and turned to her friends. Jill was grinning widely, as was everybody else, even Amy.  
  
"Hopefully he comes next time," Lita said, grinning. Serena's eyes narrowed. Ever since then, many more guests arrived. Each and every time, however, Serena would get terrified and wait anxiously for the door to open, only to feel relief in the end. Things began looking good for her.  
  
There was a knock at the door again. Once again, Serena swallowed, frozen like a statue. Her friends and Jill all sighed. This was beginning to become old. This time, her parents were too busy talking to their friends to answer the door.  
  
"Can you get that?" Serena's father asked from the next room. Serena sighed and slowly stepped forward. She opened the door slowly, and gasped once it was fully opened. Behind it stood a short, heavy man. He had a smiling, red, jolly face. He was wearing a gray suite and was holding a box in his hand. He looked familiar to Serena, but she couldn't lay a finger on him.  
  
"My, hello, Serena," he said in a deep, friendly voice. "It's great to see you in here." He laughed merrily and walked into the house. He stopped in front of the door and sniffed the air, then laughed. "Ms. Tsukino," he called happily, "your cooking never fails to amaze me." From the kitchen appeared Serena's parents. They both smiled when they noticed the man standing in the main room.  
  
"Hey, Jack," Serena's father said, walking over to him and shaking his hand. He laughed and kissed Serena's mother. Serena gasped as she finally realized whom this man was.  
  
"Mr. Shields?" Serena asked, dumbfounded. She could not believe that this jolly man could be her evil boss. Jack turned to her and laughed. Serena couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Just call me Jack," Jack said, smiling. Serena smiled and nodded. She wouldn't be able to look at her boss the same way again after this.  
  
"Hi," said a friendly voice from behind Serena. Serena turned around to face a slightly taller woman. She had brown hair up in a bun, and green eyes. Her face seemed mature, but still pretty. She held out her hand towards Serena. "I'm Jack's wife, Maria. How are you?" Serena held back her gasp. He expected her boss's wife to be some small, hideous-looking woman.  
  
On the other hand, however, this woman was tall and elegant. Serena forced a smile and shook her hand. Maria walked into the house and greeted the others. Serena turned to her friends and saw them all staring ahead, with blank looks on their faces.  
  
"What?" asked Serena. She turned around to see what they were staring at. Right then, she gasped. Serena felt herself getting weak in the knees, and she had to support herself against the wall for a moment before she was able to regain her composure. She thought she was going to fall over dead any second, for standing at the door was the same man she bumped into at the mall earlier that day.  
  
Oh no, what now? Will Serena kick it off with this guy? Or is the incident at the mall foreshadowing of what is to come? We'll begin finding out in my next chapter. See you soon! 


	5. Part 5

Hey guys! I know it's been quite a while since I updated this story. Unfortunately, I had things going on in my life as far as school and work (upon other things), and I just totally forgot about this fic. I just rediscovered it yesterday however, and decided that it's about time to continue it. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I should have more coming soon. Also, as always, please R&R!  
  
The man at the door watched Serena nervously. To everybody in the room, it appeared that she would fall over any second. Soon, however, it seemed that Serena was okay again. The man smiled and held out his hand. Serena looked down at it, then up at the man's face. Slowly, she reached out her hand with caution. Her friends watched anxiously.  
  
The man took Serena's hand into his. Serena swallowed. His hand was strong, yet gentle at the same time. She felt warmth spread through her whole body at his touch. Serena swallowed and she looked up into his smiling eyes. He brought her hand to his face and kissed it tenderly. Serena shuddered. The man smiled and lowered her hand.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you, miss Tsukino," the man said, just above a whisper. Serena nodded, blushing furiously. She opened her mouth to speak, but she could not find her voice. Therefore, she simply nodded. The man smiled again and walked past her and into the house. Once he was gone, Serena felt herself getting dizzy again. She could not believe what had just happened.  
  
The man then walked up to Serena's friends, whom were all staring at him, hearts in their eyes, except Amy, of course. The man looked at all of them individually and smiled charmingly. Mina clasped her hands together and sighed openly.  
  
"Good evening, ladies," the man said, being a gentleman. Now it was time for all the others to sigh. The man grinned inwardly. He knew that to women, he was irresistible. That being true, why was he still single? The man smiled again and turned to Serena's mother and father.  
  
"Mrs. Tsukino," the man said, taking her hand and bringing it to his face, kissing it, "It's a pleasure to be in your warm home." She smiled and nodded.  
  
"The pleasure's all mine, Darien," she said. "And you don't have to call me Mrs. Tsukino. Elaine is fine." Darien nodded and turned his attention to Serena's father. They shook hands, looking in each other's eyes.  
  
"Long time no see, Mr. Tsukino," Darien said. Serena's father nodded in return. They had met a few times in the past, and had grown fond of each other. He knew that Darien was a good man, and would love to see him together with his daughter. As a matter-of-fact, he was also the one who invited Darien. He grinned at his own cunningness.  
  
When Serena was a teenager, he never liked the idea of her dating boys. Not that it was a problem however, seeing that she could never keep a boyfriend in the first place. Now that she was a grown, mature woman, he only wanted to see her happy. He only hoped that his plan wouldn't backfire. If that happened, it could devastate Serena. That was a chance he was willing to take, however.  
  
Serena continued staring ahead, her eyes wide, trying her best to figure out what just happened. Right then, she felt a tug on her arm drag her outside. Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Serena saw that all her friends were outside with her. They were all giving her disbelieving looks. Jill, on the other hand, was grinning slyly. She found this whole incident to be hilarious.  
  
"You are soooooo lucky," said Mina, smiling brightly. "First day back, and you already snag yourself a hot guy. Way to go!" She gave Serena thumbs up. Serena blushed and was about to retort when Raye cut in.  
  
"You should have seen the look in his eyes. He has the hots for you!" Raye said, being a master when it came to romance. She didn't have a boyfriend of her own though, ironically. Serena blushed even more. She was about to yell at Raye when Lita decided to cut in.  
  
"And he's charming, too," Lita sighed, a far-away look in her eyes. "He's the type of man who could just sweep you off your feet." All the other girls, besides Serena, sighed romantically. "Plus," Lita said, holding up her finger to make a point, "he drives a Corvette!" Everybody turned their attention to the black corvette parked out in the street.  
  
"He seems to have a lot of money too," Amy said, everybody turning their attention away from the car. Serena sighed. Even shy Amy was against her. She opened her mouth to speak again, but was once again cut off.  
  
"It's like a dream," the girls all sighed in unison, clasping their hands together, dreamy looks in their eyes. Serena felt herself fidgeting. She was about to explode any second. Seeing this, her friends got knocked out of their dreamy state and gulped. They had seen Serena explode in the past. It wasn't a very good experience.  
  
"Umm, how about we go inside?" Jill recommended, her voice uneasy. She was as worried as the others about Serena losing it. Plus, if she did lose it, she would definitely make a scene. She wants Darien to like her, not be afraid of her. "Dinner should be ready soon," Jill continued, hoping that mentioning food would calm Serena down somewhat.  
  
As hoped, Serena's anger left her. The other girls all sighed in relief. They had to remember to thank Jill later. They looked back up to where Serena was standing to see she wasn't there anymore.  
  
"Hurry up, guys," they heard Serena's voice say from behind them. "We don't have all day, you know." All the girls turned around to see Serena standing at the front door. They all wondered how she managed to get around them to the door in a second without them seeing her. Shrugging off the thought, they all nodded and followed her in to the house.  
  
Serena walked into the dining room, and instantly noticed Darien only feet away from her, his back turned to her. He was talking with her father. Upon seeing him, Serena turned around and walked out of the kitchen. Serena walked into the living room and sat down on a couch, sighing. She didn't know how she could encounter him.  
  
Serena just wanted to run away right then. If Darien had been any other guy, it may have been more bearable to be around him. She sighed again. Her friends looked at her from across the room, worried. Serena then gasped when she noticed Jill's eyes. They were almost demanding. Serena sighed once again. She knew that there was no way out of this.  
  
Serena stood up and walked back into the dining room. Her friends and Jill watched anxiously from a safe distance. They couldn't believe that Serena was actually approaching Darien. Serena stepped directly behind Darien and stood still. She felt her hands begin to tremble, so she clasped them together nervously.  
  
"Umm, M-mister shields?" Serena asked. Darien ceased talking with her father and turned around. His eyes met with Serena's eyes, and they both fell silent. 'What's this feeling?' Serena asked herself as she stared into his ocean blue eyes. She felt a shiver run down the length of her body. She opened her mouth and struggled to speak. "Well, umm, I'm uhh, I'm sorry for being r-rude. M-my name is S-Serena." She forced a smile, still blushing.  
  
'She's so cute,' Darien thought as he watched the girl, a smile across his face. Personally, he liked girls who were still shy and innocent. Girls like that were hard to find these days. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Serena," Darien said. "My name's Darien. I heard a lot about you." Serena's eyes narrowed. She turned her attention to her father. He just shrugged and walked away. Darien looked down at Serena and his smiling face became one of confusion.  
  
"Have I met you before?" Darien asked. Serena gasped and turned her attention back to Darien. He was staring at her quizzically. She was positive she had never met him before, unless.  
  
'Oh no, maybe he just remembered me from the mall?' Serena asked herself. She had hoped that he didn't remember. She decided that he should definitely not find out, if he didn't know already. She laughed, placing her hand behind her head. "Wh-why would you think that?" Serena asked, laughing. Darien looked unsure, but he decided to forget about it.  
  
'Still,' Darien thought, 'this girl looks familiar.' He smiled warmly, and Serena tried to hold back her blush. She had never felt this way with any man before. When she saw his smile, she felt like putty. She knew then that it would be really hard keeping her composure this night. Darien was not much different. He had been with many women in his life, but never had any one girl's smile had such an effect on him.  
  
'Whoa,' Darien thought to himself. 'I can't lose it over here.' He took a deep breath. When Serena smiled, he felt his heart stop, and his hands got all sweaty. He wanted to just kiss her right then and there. Thank God Darien had a remarkable amount of self-control. Otherwise, he would have been slapped in the face right then.  
  
"Well, uhhh, I just wanna, umm, thank you for j-joining us for dinner t- tonight," Serena continued, cursing her stuttering. Darien, noticing this, only smiled. He found her shyness to be amazingly cute.  
  
"Dinner's ready," called Serena's mother from the dining room. Serena sighed in relief. She had to sit down. She felt that if she were to stand any longer, her knees would give way and she would collapse to the ground. Darien held his arm out, and Serena looked at it, confused. Darien, noticing her confusion smiled gently. He had never met a girl her age who was so innocent before.  
  
"May I?" Darien asked, hoping that now Serena would get the message. She most definitely did. She swallowed and looked up at his smiling face, then back down to his extended arm. Slowly, she wrapped her bare arm around his sleeved one. Darien pulled her closer to him, and Serena swallowed and looked back up at his face. She felt so warm and protected. Darien looked straight back into her eyes. He was in a trance, unable to move even if he wanted to.  
  
'What the hell is this girl doing to me?' Darien asked himself. He could only look into her eyes. Serena was no different, however. In his eyes, she saw a warmth and gentleness, yet strength that she had never seen before. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry.  
  
"Move it already, meatball head," said a voice from behind them. "You two lovebirds are blocking the way." Serena and Darien got knocked out of their trance, and gasped when they noticed they were staring into the other's eyes. Serena quickly turned to the voice. Raye stood behind them, a sly grin across her face. Serena nodded and broke her hold with Darien, allowing her friends and Jill to pass by them and into the dining room. Serena noticed all her friends giving her strange looks, and she blushed. She wondered how long she had been drooling over Darien for.  
  
Once everybody was in the dining room, Serena looked up at Darien again. He smiled warmly, and beckoned for her to enter the kitchen first. Serena smiled gratefully and entered the dining room. Once inside, she saw that everybody was already seated at the table. She also noticed that there were only two empty seats, and they were directly next to each other.  
  
Serena's eyes narrowed. This was definitely the work of her mother. She turned her attention to her mother, who only winked at her. Serena felt herself steaming. Her mother could be as bad as Jill at times. Serena walked into the dining room slowly. Everybody at the table had their eyes glued to her. It took all of her strength to not just turn around and run away right then and there.  
  
Serena made it to a chair and was about to pull it out when Darien quickly cut in and did it for her. She gasped and looked up at him again. He smiled and nodded. Serena blushed, smiling slightly. She sat down in her chair, and suddenly, her eyes opened wide when she noticed all the food on the table. Jill grinned slyly. She knew that the sight of the massive amount of food would calm the girl down.  
  
Across the table lied turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffed cabbages, lasagna, cranberry sauce, and much, much more. Serena was literally drooling as she stared at the food. Darien smiled as he looked at the girl. She had an almost childlike innocence, along with the most gorgeous body he had ever seen. He didn't know whether he should be attracted to her, or love her like a little sister.  
  
"Well, dig in, guys," Serena's mother said. Serena took absolutely no time whatsoever to pile her plate as high as she possibly could. Her friends stared at her in disbelief. They had forgotten how much the girl could eat. Darien didn't look much better. In his entire life, he could not remember a person who could eat so much, let alone remain so good-looking.  
  
Darien placed a few items of food onto his plate. He began eating slowly, never losing his smile. Mr. Tsukino was right. Serena was amazingly cute. He turned his attention back to his food, trying, for at least a little while, to get his mind off the girl sitting next to her. It was impossible, however. Every time he turned his thoughts towards something else, they always lingered back to Serena.  
  
By the time Darien finished with one item of food, Serena was finished with her first plate. Almost instantly, she began piling food onto it again, still starving. Darien stared at her in disbelief once again. Serena was just about to dig into her food when her eyes wandered to Darien. Seeing the look on his face, she blushed, quickly looking away. Darien did the same thing.  
  
'Damn,' Darien thought, 'I can't let her catch me staring at her.' He swallowed, his hands fumbling as he returned to his food. 'Why am I so nervous?' he asked himself as he picked up some turkey with his fork. 'How the hell is she doing this to me?' At the same time, Serena was cursing herself for eating so much.  
  
'He probably thinks I'm such a pig,' Serena thought, staring at her new plate of food. She just wanted to run away out of embarrassment, but she knew she couldn't do that. She had to stay the whole night, and had no idea how she would possibly pull it off. She began eating again, this time slowly.  
  
Serena's parents looked at each other and giggled. They had been paying attention to Serena's actions the entire time. Never before had they seen her so nervous. Sure, she was always nervous around guys, but never before had they seen a guy that was able to make her control her eating habits. Meanwhile, Darien's parents noticed the same with their son.  
  
Darien was always cool and collected. Even in school, he was never once shy, and always had girlfriends. To see him so nervous was something totally new for them. They laughed to themselves as they watched him sneaking looks at Serena, and her doing the same. They wondered if at last he met somebody special.  
  
All of Darien's previous relationships never lasted. Often he would have a girlfriend for a month or so before they broke up (although Darien was often the one who broke it off). He always said that the girl ended up not being his type. They knew however, that it was more than that. They knew that he was still looking for "her". Darien's mother smiled warmly.  
  
'You found her,' his mother thought to herself, smiling. She decided that she felt a bit bad for him in his current state, so decided to start some conversation to lighten the mood.  
  
"Darien's looking for a good apartment to stay at for a little while," his mother said. Darien swallowed his food and looked up. Serena, upon hearing his name, looked up as well.  
  
"Have you had any luck yet?" Elaine asked, taking a bite from her turkey. Darien shook his head, finishing the last of his plate.  
  
"I actually didn't really start looking yet," Darien said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I just got back to the island today." Elaine nodded, looking over at his husband. Whispering something into his ear, he dragged him out of the kitchen.  
  
'Oh no,' Serena thought nervously, 'what is she planning?' She knew that her mother had something up her sleeve. She only hoped it wouldn't be anything 'that' embarrassing. While her parents were gone, everyone began getting into their own conversations, except for Serena and Darien, who just stared at the table silently, occasionally stealing looks at each other.  
  
"Ummm," Darien said, trying to break the uncomfortable silence, "so I heard that you're a writer for my father's company?" Serena nodded, still looking away from him. "He always talks about you," Darien continued. This caught Serena's attention. She looked up at him, her eyes wide in shock.  
  
"What does he say?" Serena asked. Deep down inside, she knew it was probably bad things. She knew very well that she was far from the best writer at her job. As a matter of fact, she was one of the worst. She only hoped that her boss had at least some good things to say about her, but she knew that it was only wishful thinking.  
  
"Well," began Darien, "he said that out of all his writers, you have the most heart." Serena gasped. She could not believe what Darien had just told her. "Also," Darien continued, "he says that he knows that you can easily be the best writer he has. He says that there's always something holding you back, however." Serena swallowed, feeling tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"Did.did he really say all that?" Serena asked, still unbelieving. Daring smiled warmly and smiled. Right then, Serena's eyes wandered towards his again, until they met in a fixing gaze. Raye, noticing this, quickly nudged Mina in the arm.  
  
"Look," Raye whispered to Mina. She followed Raye's gaze until she saw Serena and Darien. Mina gasped and quickly whispered to Lita to look, who then told Amy. They all watched the scene, grinning widely. Never had they seen anybody have such an effect on Serena. Jill, who was also watching the scene, smiled with satisfaction. As bratty as she acted, all she wanted was for Serena to be happy. Now, at last, maybe she was approaching the happiness Jill knew she wanted.  
  
Darien found his face moving closer to Serena's. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this, but he was in some sort of trance. Serena's eyes hypnotized him, and made his body do things he knew he shouldn't do. Serena also found herself moving closer to him.  
  
'Oh no,' Serena thought. 'He's going to.I'm going to.we're going to.' She swallowed nervously. As nervous as she was however, she knew she wanted it. Her mind kept telling her to back away, but her body wouldn't let her. She continued moving forward, painfully slow. She felt her body trembling. Her hands were sweating, and her breathing began getting shallow. Soon, their lips were only centimeters apart. The smallest movement would make their lips connect in a tender kiss.  
  
"We're back," chimed a friendly voice as Elaine walked back into the room. Instantly, Serena and Darien gasped, quickly moving away from each other. Serena's friends and Jill sighed in defeat. The two were so close. If only Elaine hadn't come back they, they would have kissed.  
  
Serena took a deep breath, placing a hand on her chest. Her heart was pounding so hard, she thought it was going to burst. Slowly, she calmed down, her hand still placed firmly on her chest, feeling as her heart rate slowed down little by little. Darien was no different. His heart was pounding harder than it ever did anytime during his life.  
  
'What's happening with me?' Darien asked himself, sweat forming on his forehead. 'We almost kissed.' He swallowed and tried desperately to slow down his rapid heart rate. He swallowed again and took a deep breath, feeling his hart rate slowing down at last.  
  
"Well, me and my husband made a decision," Elaine said, sitting down. She took a sip of her water and beckoned for her husband to sit down also. He nodded and sat down in the seat next to her. "Darien, we decided that we have plenty of space in our house," Elaine continued. "If you need a place to stay, you can stay here. We don't mind." Serena, who was taking a long drink of water to calm herself down, spit it out onto the table.  
  
Blushing, Serena quickly took a napkin and wiped the mess clean. Jill giggled to herself, as well as the other girls. Elaine simply rolled her eyes. It was always like Serena to make a scene. If only the girl would realize that she was doing this for her, and nobody else.  
  
"Sorry," Serena said, coughing, "I had to cough and just couldn't hold it in." Jill grinned, seeing right through her lie. Darien simply smiled warmly and helped her clean up. Once they were done, Darien turned back to Serena's parents.  
  
"Thanks for the offer," Darien said, "but I don't want to intrude." Elaine shook her head. Serena wanted to say something right then, but the look from her mother made her shut her mouth.  
  
"No, you won't be intruding at all," Elaine said. "In fact, we always enjoy having company, right Ken?" Ken was about to say otherwise. Sensing this, Elaine stepped on his foot, hard. Ken cringed, holding back his cry of pain. He simply nodded. "See?" Elaine asked. "It's no problem at all. We would love for you to stay." Darien nodded. By the look on his face, it was obvious that he was thinking the offer over.  
  
On one hand, he would have a nice place to stay. He wouldn't have to worry about rent and noisy neighbors. Also, he would have an excuse to be around Serena much more. In the other hand however, he was afraid of what could happen if he were always so close to her. He was afraid of what he might do if he lost control again.  
  
"I think it's a great idea," Darien's mother said, catching on to Elaine's plan. "Darien, I think that you should seriously consider her offer." Darien nodded. He was really thinking about whether or not it would be such a good idea. Obviously, Serena's parents had no problem with it, and his parents thought it was a good idea as well. Also, Serena didn't seem to give any objections.  
  
"Okay," Darien said. "As long as you don't mind, I would love to stay here." Serena's friends all squealed in delight, but quickly caught a look from Serena's eyes that made them quickly shut up. Jill just grinned widely. She knew that it was going to be an interesting week. Elaine slapped herself on the back, smiling. Her master plan had just gone into effect.  
  
"Please excuse me for a moment," Serena said, standing up. She quickly walked out of the dining room and through the living room to the front door. She opened the door and left the house. Once she was outside, she sighed and sat down on the front step. The night breeze blew softly across her face, making her hair sway gently along with it. She looked up at the sky and gasped.  
  
There was not one cloud in the sky, and the stars shined brightly. She smiled as a song played through her head. It was the same song that her locket played when she opened it. She smiled, remembering the person who gave the locket to her.  
  
'Darien,' she thought, 'why do you remind me so much of him?' She sighed, hugging her knees and placing her head on her shoulder. She didn't know how she would be able to survive with Darien living with her. She didn't know how she would be able to act with the hottest guy she ever saw living under the same roof. All she did know was this was going to be a long vacation.  
  
Well that's it for chapter five. What will happen now that Darien is LIVING with Serena. Will she be able to survive these two weeks? Or will love prevail? Find out more in the next chapter. 


	6. Part 6

"Need some company?" asked a gentle voice from behind her. Serena jumped and slowly turned her head. Standing behind her was Darien, a warm smile on his face. She didn't know why, but just seeing his smile made her smile. Serena gathered all the courage she had and nodded. Darien's smile widened as he sat down next to her.  
  
"I had to get some fresh air," Darien said, looking up at the sky. His eyes opened wide in awe as he looked at the beautiful sky. It wasn't very often that he saw the sky so clear. Serena diverted her eyes to him, and almost melted. His firm face almost glowed in the moonlight, and his raven- black hair shined brilliantly in the light of the stars.  
  
Darien turned his head to face Serena, who quickly diverted her eyes elsewhere. There was no way she could let Darien catch her staring at him. Darien held back a gasp as he looked at her. In the light of the moon, she looked angelic. Despite the darkness of the night, her eyes still looked brilliant. Her golden hair swayed gently in the breeze as she stared off into space. All Darien wanted to do was hold her, and never let her go. He knew however that he couldn't do that, regardless of how tempted he was.  
  
"So, why were you sitting out here all by yourself?" Darien asked, trying to start some conversation. Serena simply shrugged, still not looking in his direction.  
  
"I guess I just needed to get some air, too," Serena lied. Darien smiled and took a deep breath. He looked up at the sky once again, staring at the stars, trying to make out some constellations. Right then, a streak of light flew across the sky.  
  
"Wow," Serena gasped, her face in awe. She had never seen a shooting star before.  
  
"Did you make a wish?" Darien asked, still looking up at the sky. He looked down at Serena, who nodded. Darien smiled, "What did you wish for?" Serena looked at him at last, grinning slyly.  
  
"It's a secret," Serena said, a large grin on her face. Darien smiled in return, holding back his laughter. She was just far too cute. "How about you?" Serena asked, wondering what Darien wished for.  
  
"Mine's a secret too," Darien said, just above a whisper. Serena's grin turned into a gentle smile. She looked up at the sky again and closed her eyes.  
  
'Please,' Serena thought, 'let my wish come true.' Darien watched her, wondering what she was thinking. He wondered if her thoughts were at all on him. He laughed at himself for wondering such a stupid thing. Deep down inside, however, he still had hope.  
  
"What's on your mind?" Darien asked, curious to what she would say. Serena held back a gasp and turn her head to face Darien.  
  
"I was just hoping that my wish will come true," Serena said in a low voice. Darien nodded, still curious of what she could possibly have wished for. Serena looked at him, a serious look across her face. "Thanks," Serena said, smiling. Darien looked at her, confused.  
  
"Thanks for what?" Darien asked. He had no idea what she could have possibly been thankful for. Serena's smile widened as she continued looking at him.  
  
"Thanks for keeping me company," Serena said, her face turning serious again. Darien simply smiled and nodded. 'Whoa,' Serena thought. 'What is coming over me? Why aren't I that nervous right now?' Usually, Serena would have been so nervous that she would be unable to even talk. Yet, she felt comfortable next to Darien. 'Maybe it's because he reminds me so much of him,' Serena thought, still trying to come up with a reason for her lack of nervousness.  
  
"So, are you sure you don't mind me staying at your place for a while?" Darien asked, realizing that he never got her opinion on the matter. Serena, hearing his question, was knocked out of her thoughts. She didn't know what to say. The truth was, she couldn't imagine how it would be like with Darien living in her house. Besides her father, she had never been under the same roof with a man for a long period of time.  
  
"I.I don't mind," Serena said, feeling herself get nervous again. Darien smiled, making Serena's nervousness rise. Suddenly, she remembered the kiss from earlier that evening. She swallowed, feeling her palms get sweaty once again. She remembered how close she was to actually kissing him. She felt her heartbeat quicken, as well as her breathing.  
  
"Serena, are you okay?" Darien asked, noticing how she was suddenly behaving. "Serena, talk to me," Darien said, nervous himself. Serena stared at him, her eyes wide. Everything around her seemed to be spinning. She had to get away from him.  
  
"I.I'm sorry," Serena said quickly, standing up. "I.I have to.to go inside." With that, she ran through the front door, leaving Darien outside on the front step, dumbfounded. Quickly, he stood up and went into the house after her.  
  
Serena ran through the dining room and into the bathroom. Everybody who was sitting at the table instantly halted their conversation and looked at her, a mixture of confusion and nervousness across their faces.  
  
"I'll go see if she's okay," Mina said, standing up and running after her. Jill quickly followed her lead and chased after Serena as well. A few seconds later, Darien entered the room. Everyone's attention quickly shifted to him. Serena's father's eyes narrowed as he looked at him, wondering if he did something to hurt his daughter.  
  
Quickly, Elaine stood up and walked over to him, worried. She only hoped that Serena was okay.  
  
"What's wrong?" Elaine asked. Darien simply shook his head. Truthfully, he had no idea what just happened. To him, Serena just ran away for no reason.  
  
"I don't know," Darien said. "We were just out there talking, then out of nowhere, she started acting really strange. Did she come through here by any chance?" Quickly, Elaine's worry went away, and Lita, Amy, and Raye sighed in relief. Elaine knew very well how nervous her daughter could get, and she knew that at times she would panic under certain conditions.  
  
"Don't worry," Elaine said, "she's fine. Just she realized she had something she forgot to do." Elaine was thankful that Darien couldn't see through her lie. She couldn't tell him the truth though. She knew that if she did, it would definitely effect Darien's decision to stay at the house, and she didn't want that.  
  
"Why don't you just sit down and wait for her to come back," Elaine said. Darien took a deep breath and nodded. Still however, he knew that there was something else the matter with her. He decided to let it go for the time being, though. He sat down in his chair, hoping that Serena would be back soon.  
  
Meanwhile, Jill and Mina were outside the bathroom door, gently knocking on it. They were both extremely worried about her, and only hoped that she was okay, and that Darien did nothing to hurt her. If that were the case, he would have to answer to Jill, and she could get extremely scary when angry.  
  
"Open the door," Mina said. "Me and your sister are really worried about you. Come out of there." They got no answer. Jill sighed and knocked on the door again. Still there was no answer.  
  
"Serena, everyone's really worried about you," Jill said. "Just let us come in, please?" After a few seconds, they heard the sound of the door unlocking. The door opened slowly. Mina and Jill both gasped at the sight before them. Serena was standing at the door, tears running down her face, causing her makeup to run along with them.  
  
"Oh Serena," Jill said, tears in her eyes. She quickly wrapped her arms around her sister. She felt so bad for her. She swore right then to make Darien pay for hurting her. Never in Jill's life had she seen Serena so hurt. As a matter of fact, it had been several years since she had seen Serena cry so much. Jill wanted nothing more than to fall to her knees and cry herself, but she had to stay strong for Serena.  
  
"Tell us what happened," Mina said. Serena, however, was sobbing so hard, she didn't even hear what Mina said. Mina swallowed and looked around. "Maybe we should get inside," she said. Jill looked up at her and nodded in agreement.  
  
"Can you get up?" Jill asked Serena. She swallowed her tears and looked up into Jill's eyes. Jill held back a gasp. Serena's usually happy eyes were now filled with sorrow. Slowly, Serena nodded, and Jill smiled at her. Her smile however, was forced. Slowly, Jill stood up, bringing Serena with her. They walked into the bathroom, followed by Mina, who closed and locked the door behind her.  
  
"Now," Mina said gently, walking up to Serena and playing her hand on her friend's shoulder, "tell me what's wrong? Your sisters will make it all better for you." Mina smiled and gave a wink, making Serena laugh through her tears. "Made you laugh," Mina said, laughing herself. Serena laughed again, wiping her face with a tissue.  
  
"It's really stupid," Serena said, forcing a laugh. She knew that she really had no reason to be crying. All she was doing was make people worry about her. Mina smiled reassuringly.  
  
"I doubt that," Mina said. "Just tell us. You know you can trust us." Serena nodded. Mina was right. Serena knew that she could trust her friends and her sister, and she knew they would be on her side no matter what. Serena took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
"Well, I was talking with Darien outside," Serena said. "Everything seemed so perfect. For once in my life, I wasn't nervous at all. I actually thought for a little while that maybe, just maybe, he was the one. I couldn't believe how comfortable I was with him. It was like a dream come true." Mina and Jill nodded. They were indeed surprised at the fact that Serena wasn't nervous at all around him. In all their years knowing Serena, they had never seen her not nervous around a guy whom she liked, except one, but they were both children at the time.  
  
"Then what happened?" Jill asked. She knew that something had to happen to make Serena cry so much. She only hope it wasn't anything too devastating.  
  
"Well," Serena began, "he brought up staying at my house. I just started to get a bit nervous. I mean, I've never LIVED with a guy before, you know? I just got really scared and panicked. Then I started thinking about how during dinner we almost.well I just started panicking. I'm so stupid getting all worked up over such stupid things." Jill smiled. Now she understood Serena's problem.  
  
"I'm so stupid," Serena said with a laugh. "I made everybody really nervous and stuff, and the entire time it was just because I'm nervous. I probably ruined dad's party." A single tear ran down her face as she spoke. "Darien probably thinks I'm some sort of freak," Serena continued. Jill shook her head and smiled. She placed her hands on Serena's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"That's not true," Jill said. "I'm sure Darien's really worried about you, too. Also, you didn't ruin dad's party at all. If you don't want to ruin it, then go back into the dining room. Everything will be okay. Don't worry about Darien staying here. Just think of it as a good experience. Hey, and you never know, maybe he is the guy for you." Mina nodded in agreement. Serena swallowed and nodded.  
  
"You're right," Serena said, wiping away the rest of her tears. "I'm so sorry for making you guys worry. I'll go back." Jill smiled and took her hands off her shoulders.  
  
"That's the spirit," Mina said, smiling. "But, umm just one thing." Serena looked at her questionably. "Your makeup," Mina said. "It all ran off." Serena gasped, quickly turning around and looking into the mirror.  
  
"I look hideous," Serena said, her other problems suddenly forgotten about. Jill and Mina giggled, both placing one of their hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Don't worry," Mina said, "we'll fix you up. Afterwards, you'll go back into there and blow Darien away." Serena's eyes narrowed. She turned to Mina, who faked an innocent look.  
  
"I have no intentions of 'blowing Darien away'," Serena said. Mina and Jill both giggled. Mina reached into her pocketbook and pulled out some makeup.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Mina said, gathering her needed materials. "We'll make you look great in no time." Jill nodded in agreement, also reaching into her pocketbook. Elaine, who had been standing outside the bathroom, simply laughed. She was happy to hear that Serena was better now. She only hoped that they were ready before dessert.  
  
Elaine walked back into the kitchen and sat back down next to her husband. Serena's friends and Darien all watched her, their face full of worry.  
  
"Is she okay?" Darien asked urgently. Elaine simply smiled and nodded. Right then, several sighs of relief were heard from around the room. Ever since Serena ran into the bathroom, the room had been full of tension.  
  
"I'm sorry for making you guys wait," said a voice from the other side of the room. Everybody at the table turned their heads as Jill walked into the room. "We just had to fix up a few things," she said. Mina then walked into the room, a large grin across her face. She looked to her friends and winked to them. They all giggled in return. They were happy to see that everything was okay.  
  
Jill and Mina both sat down at the table, and were both instantly bombarded with questions. Soon after, Serena entered the room. Everybody stopped what they were doing and turned to her. She swallowed and forced a smile.  
  
"Sorry to make you guys wait," Serena said. Everybody at the table only smiled in return. Darien however, eyes her suspiciously. He knew hat something had to have happened in the bathroom, and he swore to figure out what. "So, umm.when's dessert?" Serena asked. Right then, the table filled with laughter, causing Serena to blush. Even Darien smiled at the statement.  
  
Serena turned her head, then stopped as her eyes made contact with Darien's. She swallowed, feeling herself get nervous again. She felt as though Darien was staring straight into her soul. Serena took a deep breath and walked slowly towards the table. Once she got to her seat, she pulled out her chair and sat down. Serena looked straight ahead. She knew that if she were to turn to Darien, she would catch his gaze again, and she didn't know if she would be able to handle it.  
  
"Hey, are you okay?" Darien asked. Serena swallowed and turned to him. To her surprise, his staring gaze was gone, and was returned with a look of worry. Serena swallowed and nodded nervously. Darien was not convinced, however. "Are you sure?" Darien asked, already knowing what her answer was going to be.  
  
"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Serena lied. Darien decided to not bother with it any further. It was obvious that she was hiding something, but it was also obvious that there was little to no chance of her telling him anything. Darien simply nodded, forcing a smile. Serena gave a small smile in return before turning away from him.  
  
Meanwhile, Jill and Mina were all explaining the story to the rest of the girls, who all sighed in relief after hearing why Serena was so upset. Now, everything made total sense.  
  
"Okay guys," said the always-friendly voice of Elaine. Everybody walked out to see Elaine walked into the room, followed by Mrs. Shields, and Jim's wife. They all walked in bearing all different cakes. Serena instantly forgot about her problems as she watched in awe at the site of the cakes being placed on the table. Darien looked at her, a warm smile across his face.  
  
'She's so cute,' Darien said, happy to see her genuinely happy. Even after the short time of him knowing her, he already couldn't imagine her with a large smile on her face. Just the thought of her made his smile widen. After several more trips, the three women finally had all the food out on the table. Across the table there was: Cheese cake, chocolate cake, all different types of cookies, all types of pies, jell-o, and rice pudding, amongst other things.  
  
Serena felt like she was in heaven. She wanted nothing more than to claim all the desserts to herself, and eat them forever. Darien continued watching her, trying to stop himself from kissing her right then and there. She was just too cute.  
  
"Well what are you waiting for?" Elaine asked. "Dig in, guys!" Nobody wasted any time doing just that, especially Serena. On her plate she put a piece of chocolate cake and several cookies, with every intent to get more once she ate it. Darien took a piece of chocolate cake himself, his eyes still focused on Serena, who seemed to be oblivious to the world around her. All she cared about right then was her dessert, and nothing else.  
  
Everybody at the table ate in silence. Serena stole a few glances at Darien as she ate. Darien, who had at last stopped focusing on the girl next to her, still stole a few glances as he ate. Lita, who was watching this, only laughed to herself. She knew that if the two of them would only stop being so shy with each other, they would probably be a couple already.  
  
Darien glanced over at Serena, while at that exact time, she stole a glance at him. Their eyes met once again. Serena swallowed as she stared into his eyes. Darien swallowed as well, as he began moving his face closer to hers. Lita, who was still watching, held back a squeal as she got the attention of the others.  
  
Serena was frozen. She couldn't move, no matter how much she tried. She watched, trembling, as Darien's face slowly inched closer and closer. Soon, they were only inches apart. Serena's friends and Jill all watched in anticipation. They only hoped that nothing would interfere this time around.  
  
Darien swallowed once again, staring into her wide, unblinking eyes. He stopped inching his face forward and simply stared into her eyes. Serena felt her breathing stopped. Once again, she felt like she was in a sort of trance.  
  
"You have something on your face," Darien said, just above a whisper. Serena swallowed as Darien reached forward and wiped a piece of chocolate away with his thumb. "There," he said in his still low voice, "it's gone." Serena nodded quickly, blinking.  
  
"Thanks," Serena whispered, blushing. Her friends, who watched the entire scene, sighed, hearts in their eyes. Jill simply smiled, holding back a giggle. The rest of the night was uneventful. Soon after dessert, everybody began to leave.  
  
The last people to leave were Mr. Shields and his wife, and Serena's friends, who were busy with their own conversations. Usually, they and Serena were unable to be seperated, but that night, they wanted to stay out from between Serena and Darien. Mr. Shields spent most of his time talking about work, and some future projects. Serena found out that Darien actually owned his own newspaper company that was in competition with his father's. She wondered if that fact caused any tension between the two outside of work. She found it strange that the two seemed to get along fine.  
  
Eventually however, even they had to leave. It was now about midnight, and everybody was fairly tired. Elaine and her husband walked with Mr. Shields and his wife to the front door, along with Serena and Darien, who trailed behind. Ever since the incident with the chocolate on Serena's face, her and Darien hadn't spoken much, unless commenting on the food, and work.  
  
"Thanks for everything," Mr. Shields said to Elaine. "The food was excellent, and you have a beautiful family." Elaine smiled sweetly and nodded. Serena grinned, seeing whom Darien got his charm from.  
  
"It was a pleasure having you over," Elaine said, leaning forward and giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek. "You can come by any time," she said, giving him another smile. Mr. Shields then turned to Elaine's husband as Elaine and Mrs. Shields said their goodbyes.  
  
"I was just about to say that I'd see you at work tomorrow," Mr. Shields said, laughing. Ken laughed back, getting the joke. He still couldn't believe that he was finally retired.  
  
"I'll still see you around," Ken said. "You have my number, so give me a call some time. A new gold course just opened a few towns over, and I've only heard god things about it." Mr. Shields nodded, being a big fan of golfing.  
  
"Then I'll give you a call soon," Mr. Shields said. "Be good to that fantastic wife of your, okay?" Ken laughed at his ex-boss's joke. They shook hands before Mr. Shields turned his attention to Serena and Darien. Serena gulped, wondering what he had to say to her. She only hoped that it wasn't work-related.  
  
"You be good too," he said, giving her a friendly smile. "I'll be seeing you in two weeks. Enjoy your time and relax until then." Serena nodded, smiling. Mr. Shields nodded back, then turned to Darien, his jolly face turning serious. "Don't cause any trouble," he said, giving him a piercing look in the eyes. Darien simply nodded, his face equally as serious.  
  
"I'll be seeing you soon, too," Mr. Shields said before turning his attention away from him. Serena's eyes narrowed, feeling the tension between the two. She wondered if they always had such a relationship. Mr. Shields and his wife said their last farewells before walking out the front door. Darien took a deep breath and sighed. Serena turned to him, noticing his tension.  
  
"Are you two always like that?" Serena asked. Darien nodded turning away from the door to face her. He shook his head, pushing his hair back with his hand.  
  
"He's always like that," Darien said, annoyed. "Even when we're outside of work, he still talks to me like I'm his competitor. It just gets really annoying. Sometimes I wished I didn't even own the stupid company." Serena nodded, and decided to change the topic. It was obvious that his father was the last thing Darien wanted to talk about.  
  
"So what time do you usually get to bed?" Serena asked. Darien shrugged. He never really had a certain 'time' that he went to bed.  
  
"Whenever," Darien replied, shrugging his shoulders. Serena nodded, surprised that she suddenly felt comfortable talking to him again. She wondered why there were certain times she could talk to him and other times she couldn't. Deciding she probably wasn't going to figure it out, she shook the thought away.  
  
"Darien," said Elaine, closing the door and turning to him, "I'll show you to your room." Darien smiled and nodded, following Elaine out of the room. Ken gave Serena a knowing smile and followed them. As quickly as they left the room, Serena's friends and Jill came in, all giggling. Hearing them, Serena turned to face them, her eyes narrowed.  
  
"Wow, so how was your night with Darien?" Raye teased. Serena simply rolled her eyes. "You guys had some pretty close calls over there," Raye continued. The others giggled at Raye's comment.  
  
"You guys should mind your own business," Serena said, obviously annoyed at the fact that the girls were watching her the whole time. They only giggled in return, making Serena sigh in defeat. She knew that there was no way from stopping them all when it came to any sort of gossip.  
  
"Well, we're probably gonna call it a night," Lita said. The others nodded in agreement. Serena yawned making the others laugh.  
  
"We definitely have to hang out some time," Mina said. Once again, the others nodded in agreement, including Serena. "But tomorrow I think we'll just leave you to get used to your new housemate," Mina said. The others, besides Serena, giggled. Serena laughed back sarcastically.  
  
"But I guess we'll be seeing you later," Amy, who had been fairly quiet all night said. Serena nodded, and they all joined for a group hug. They stayed in that position for several minutes before breaking it. They all giggled, including Serena.  
  
"Later," they all said simultaneously as they walked out the door. Serena watched as they all walked to Mina's car before closing the door. She sighed and leaned against the door, sliding to the ground. Jill sat down next to her.  
  
"You definitely had a busy night," Jill said. Serena nodded in agreement, her eyes lids feeling heavy on her. Jill simply smiled and stood up. "Come on," Jill said, "it's time for you to get some sleep." Serena mumbled something as Jill grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Slowly, Jill walked Serena up to her room. While walking, Jill was deep in thought over the events that had transpired over the past few hours. Serena barely survived the night. She only hoped that she could survive her whole vacation.  
  
Finally, they made it to Serena's room. She pulled herself away from her sister and walked slowly to her bed before collapsing into it. Jill smiled and picked up a blanket, placing it over her sister. After she was tucked in, Jill knelt down and gave Serena a soft kiss on the forehead.  
  
"Sweet dreams, Serena," Jill whispered before walking to the door. She turned around and gave Serena one last look before turning off the light and walking out of the room.  
  
Well, the party's over, but the vacation had just begun. Can Serena survive being under the same roof with Darien for two whole weeks? What kind of situations will she get herself into now? We'll begin finding out the answers to these questions and more next time. And remember, please R&R Until then, Ja-ne. 


	7. Part 7

I know it took a little longer than expected, but chapter seven has finally arrived. I want to thank all of you for your kind reviews, and for reading my story. You guys are my inspiration, and I hope that you find this chapter to be really good. Anyway, I'll see you soon. Don't forget to R&R! Later!  
  
Serena opened her eyes and found herself standing in a dark void. She looked around her, wondering where she could be. All around her, all she saw was darkness. Then, from the darkness, walked a boy. Serena gasped as the boy walked towards her, looking around. Soon, however, his eyes were fixated onto her.  
  
"Sere?" the boy asked, his eyes wide in hope. Serena gasped, wondering how the boy could possibly know her name. He looked no older than seven. All that she could make out of his face was his black hair and stunning blue eyes. All his other features were shrouded by darkness. Serena swallowed and tried to step forward, but she couldn't move. She only stood, unmoving, staring at the boy in front of her.  
  
"Who are you?" Serena managed to say. At least she was able to speak. The boy looked at her, his eyes filled with laughter. The boy then began to walk closer to her, but soon stopped. Serena looked at him questionably.  
  
"Hey," the boy said, talking a step back, "you're not Sere. Who are you?" Serena looked at him, shocked. "Well?" the boy asked again. "Who are you? If you don't tell me, I'm gonna leave." Serena reached out her hand towards him, making him step back again.  
  
"I am Serena," Serena said, reaching her hand out. She was surprised she was able to even move her hand. Hoping her legs were now functional, she attempted to take a step, but she couldn't move them, regardless of how much she tried. The boy's eyes narrowed towards her.  
  
"Liar," he said. "You're not Sere. Sere knows who I am." Right then, he turned around and began walking away. Serena begged for him not to leave, making him turn his head towards her, his back still facing her. His eyes narrowed even more as he looked at her. "I gotta find her," he said, "no matter what." With that, he faced away from her and ran away, vanishing into the darkness.  
  
"WAIT," cried Serena, but it was already too late. The boy now couldn't be seen anywhere. Serena sighed and fell to her knees, looking ahead of her. Right then, she noticed something ahead of her. Slowly, she reached out with her arm, and grabbed it. Slowly, she brought the shimmering object to her face and gasped. It was a star-shaped locket. She swallowed, slowly opening it.  
  
The locket instantly began playing a soft melody. Serena smiled, recognizing the melody very well. She closed the locket and looked at it. Realization hit her as she realized that she had the same exact locket.  
  
"Wait a second," Serena thought aloud. "That must mean that that boy was the one who gave me this." She took a deep breath and sighed, taking another look at the locket. She cursed herself for not remembering the boy. Once again, she opened the locket, and its melody played once again. Serena smiled, closing her eyes, as the melody overtook her. Quickly, she felt her mind and body being overcome with sleep, and then, the music stopped.  
  
Serena opened her eyes, gasping. Quickly, she sat up and looked around her. She was no longer in the dark void where she had been only minutes ago. Now, she was in her room. Her window was open, blowing the morning air into her room, making the curtains sway along with it. Serena sighed and flopped onto her back, her hands clasped behind her head.  
  
"What a strange dream," Serena said to herself as she stared at the ceiling. Her pure white ceiling seemed so unfamiliar compared to the light tan one of her apartment. She took a deep breath and rolled around to her side, facing her window. She yawned and looked over at her clock. It read eight o'clock. Serena sighed, rolling over again. She was hoping to sleep in late, but it looked like that wasn't going to be the case.  
  
Slowly, Serena rolled out from under her covers, hanging her legs off the side of the bed so she was sitting on the edge of it. She yawned once again, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Slowly, she stood up, pushing away any excess blanket that was still covering her and walked to her mirror. She gasped as she looked into it.  
  
"Damn," she said, scratching her head, "I slept with my dress on." Sighing, she peeled off the dress and took a robe out of her closet. She put it on and tied the sash before opening her door and walking down the hall towards the bathroom. She walked like a zombie, her head and arms hanging in restlessness as she walked to the bathroom. Once she made it to the door, she was surprised to see it closed. She knew that nobody else at her house, except for her parents, woke up this early. Also, they had their own bathroom, so there was no way anybody else could be in this one.  
  
Figuring that the door was shut for some odd reason, Serena reached out her hand to open it. Right then, the door opened inwards on its own. In a matter of seconds, a man was clearly visible at the door, steam running out from behind him. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waste, therefore showing off his well-chiseled chest and broad shoulders.  
  
Serena screamed and fell onto her behind. As quickly as she fell, she pushed herself against the wall, breathing heavily. The man looked at her, confusion across his face. Slowly, he reached out his hand towards her. She screamed again and quickly crawled away, eventually standing up and running towards her room. Before she got to it, another door opened and a girl ran out ahead of her. Still in a state of panic, Serena quickly turned around and began running towards the next available door.  
  
The girl reached out and tried to grab Serena's arm to stop her, but Serena was too fast, forcing the girl to miss her target, grabbing hold of her sash instead. This caused her sash to become undone, and also pull the entire robe off of her body. Serena gasped and stopped in her tracks, realizing that she was missing something. She looked down, noticing her robe was gone, and in a sudden frenzy, attempted to cover herself up.  
  
Once she felt she was covered up, she looked up only to make eye contact with the man that was the cause of this all. He only stared at her, his eyes wide in amazement. The scream that followed could be heard blocks away. This is all how their first morning started with each other.  
  
Several minutes later, the three of them were seated around the kitchen table. Elaine was busy fixing breakfast, laughing the entire time. Serena sat back in her chair, arms crossed, head up in the air. It was obvious that she was still amazingly angry about earlier. Darien was holding an ice pack on a red mark on the side of his face where Serena had slapped him. Jill was seated back in her chair, arms crossed, one of her legs resting against the side of the table. There was a large grin across her face. It was obvious that she found the incident to be all too amusing.  
  
"I swear I didn't see anything," Darien said once again, almost pleading. Serena gave no answer. She simply continued staring at the ceiling, going over all that had happened within the past twenty minutes in her head. Jill simply laughed. Serena simply huffed and sank deeper into her chair.  
  
"Yeah right," Jill said, laughter I her voice. "I saw how you were goggling over her. You were practically drooling." This caused Darien to sigh. Right then, Serena turned her head towards him, giving him a vicious look. Darien squinted, suddenly feeling his face ache more. He rubbed the ice deeper into his face, hoping that the stinging sensation would finally subside.  
  
"Listen," Darien said, "I'm sorry, okay? I should have told you last night what time I usually wake up, so we could have done some sort of schedule thing with the shower. It was really an accident." Jill looked at him, noticing the seriousness in his face. She knew that he really didn't have much of a reason to apologize. It was only an accident. Serena had only forgotten that Darien was staying there and went into panic, wondering why there was a strange guy in her bathroom. She started laughing again only thinking about it.  
  
"It isn't really funny," Serena said, looking down at her sister. Jill instantly stopped laughing, but still had a smirk across her face. Serena then turned to Darien. "And as for you," she said, Darien gulping, hoping it wasn't going to be anything bad, "it's okay. I forgive you." Darien sighed in relief, thankful that the girl wasn't going to hold some sort of grudge against him.  
  
'It's only that he's the first man to ever see me naked,' Serena thought, a blush forming on her cheeks. She never thought that it was going to end up happening that way. Jill, noticing her blush, was about to say something when Elaine returned to the table.  
  
"Breakfast is served," Elaine said, knocking Serena out of her thoughts. Elaine placed several large plates on the table. On the plates were various breakfast items, including: scrambled eggs, French toast, waffles, and pancakes. Serena eyes the food, practically drooling. Darien only smiled, feeling the pain in his cheek begin to fade away, at last.  
  
"Well?" Elaine asked, wondering why the trio wasn't eating yet. "Dig in, guys," she continued. "You don't want it to get cold now, do you?" The three shook their heads and began placing food onto their plates. Elaine smiled and sat down at the table, relieved that the tension between the three had finally faded away.  
  
"Thanks for everything," Darien said between mouthfuls of food. "Everything's great." Elaine smiled and nodded, placing food on her plate. Jill was eating slowly, going over in her head how Serena was going to last the vacation. She expected it to be bad, but after seeing what happened earlier that morning, she knew it was far worse than she ever expected.  
  
Serena, on the other hand, was stuffing her mouth, as usual. She was so hungry, she didn't even care that Darien was sitting right next to her. Darien looked at her and smiled, taking small bites from his food. Elaine began eating her breakfast as well, noticing the looks Darien was giving Serena. She smiled, trying to make sure it wasn't too obvious that she was watching them. She didn't want to make him feel awkward at all.  
  
"So," said Jill, her mouth full of food, "do you two have any plans today?" Serena and Darien both looked up at her. Serena swallowed her food, wondering if there was anything worth doing that day. Darien was doing the same thing. He expected to be looking around for an apartment today, but now he had no need to.  
  
"Nothing that I know of," Darien answered first. Jill nodded and turned to Serena, who replied the same way. Serena wasn't really the type that looked forward to things, like she used to be. To her, every day was just the same routine, so there really wasn't anything to look forward to. Now that she was on vacation however, the world was open to her. She began to wonder what there was to do now.  
  
"Well then," began Jill, obviously having a plan, "I was thinking that maybe we can go to the beach today." Serena's eyes lit up. She had always loved the beach. Back when she was still attending school, she used to spend most of her summers at various beaches. She nodded in agreement to Jill's idea.  
  
"Great idea," Serena said, running over all the possibilities in her head. "We can invite my friends too," she continued, "I'm sure they'd love to go." Jill nodded in agreement, smiling. She was happy that she found something that Serena wanted to do.  
  
"And you can come too," Jill said, looking at Darien. He was sort of in a blank state as they two sisters discussed the beach, thinking that he wasn't involved in their plans. He had heard enough to know that they were going to the beach however, and they Serena's friends were coming along. Darien swallowed, wondering if he would even be welcomed by all of them.  
  
Serena began having second thoughts about the beach. Sure, she somewhat expected that Darien would be coming along, but she was secretly hoping that he wasn't going to. Darien turned his eyes to Serena, as if to ask her if it were okay with her. Serena just diverted his eyes away from him, not giving an answer. Darien then looked back at Jill, who was obviously waiting for an answer.  
  
"I'm not sure," Darien said, not wanting to feel out of place with them. Jill simply shook her head and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Don't worry," Jill said, "it'll be fun. Plus, I'm sure you're more than welcomed." Darien smiled warmly in return, wondering how Jill knew what he was thinking. He wondered if he made it seem that obvious to her. Either way, he wouldn't be the last to admit that he was actually looking forward to the trip to the beach a bit.  
  
"Did you bring a suit?" Jill asked, knocking him away from his thoughts. Darien thought for a moment before shaking his head. He was planning on buying one some time of the week, just in case. By the look on Jill's face, he wouldn't be surprised if he were to get one sooner. "Well, then we gotta get one for you." Darien smiled, taking a bite from his waffle. Darien had to admit that the offer was beginning to sound pretty good to him.  
  
'Besides,' Darien thought, 'I get to see all them in bikinis.' Instantly, he cursed himself for thinking such a thing. He smiled once again, turning back to Jill. "Sure," Darien said, "I guess I'll go along." Serena held back a sigh. She knew that she couldn't back out of going to the beach; it would be too obvious that she was avoiding Darien. Right then, an image of Darien, a towel wrapped around his waste, popped into her head.  
  
Quickly, Serena blinked the thought away, blushing furiously. She wondered why she had even imagined such a thing. Jill, noticing Serena's blush, laughed. This caused Serena to look up at her.  
  
"What?" Serena asked quickly and nervously. 'Did she notice me blushing?' Serena asked herself. She knew deep down inside that Jill definitely did notice. Jill only laughed again, shaking her head, before turning back to her food. Serena took a deep breath, sitting back in her chair. "I'm full," Serena said, pushing her plate out of the way.  
  
Jill gasped, her mouth wide open, staring at Serena's half-full plate of food. Even Darien looked shocked. Quickly, Elaine stood up and ran over to Serena, placing her hand over her forehead.  
  
"What are you doing?" Serena asked, quickly pushing her mother's hand away. Elaine slowly pulled her hand away as Serena looked on in confusion. Jill, realizing her mouth was wide open, filled with food, quickly closed it and continued chewing. Darien simply grinned, taking another bite from his waffle.  
  
"It doesn't feel like you have a temperature," Elaine said in wonder. Never in her life had she seen Serena get full before she was finished eating. "Let me get the thermometer," Elaine said, turning around. She began walking towards the bathroom when Serena got up and grabbed her arm, stopping her.  
  
"I'm okay, mom," Serena said, partly amused, partly aggravated. Elaine swallowed and nodded before turning around to face her. "I'm just not that hungry this morning," Serena said, pulling away from her mother and sitting back down. She leant forward though, ready to get up and stop her mom if she tried to get the thermometer again. Slowly, Elaine pulled out her chair and sat back down.  
  
"What time were you planning on going anyway?" Darien asked, finishing the last of his plate. He pushed is away from him and turned to face Jill. She had her face resting in her hand in wonder. She actually had just thought up the idea of going to the beach right there at the table. She began to wonder what would be a good time to go.  
  
"I'm not sure," Jill said. "Maybe the afternoon? Like around one or something?" Darien nodded, looking down at his watch. That gave them about three hours to get ready, if they wanted to leave at around twelve to get there at around one. Unfortunately though, the mall didn't open until ten.  
  
"One sounds fine," Darien said. He then turned to Serena, who had been oddly quiet the entire time. "Does one o'clock sound okay with you?" Darien asked. Serena blinked out of her trance and looked up at him. Slowly, she nodded, though she barely heard what he said. Darien gave her an odd look before nodding hi head himself. "Then I guess it's settled," Darien said.  
  
"But wait," Serena said quickly, as if she just remembered something urgent. Jill and Darien turned to her, wondering what she was so excited about telling them. "We need to still call the others. What if they can't make it?" Jill nodded in agreement. She hadn't thought of that. Quickly, she stood up, Serena eyeing her with a confused look in her eyes.  
  
"I'm gonna call them," Jill said before leaving the room. Serena took a deep breath and fell back into her chair. She poured herself a glass of orange juice and took a sip from it before sitting back. Darien followed suit, pouring his own glass of juice. He looked at her, wondering why she looked so stressed.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" Darien asked, leaning close to her. Serena looked up at him and swallowed. She nodded quickly, taking another sip from her orange juice. Elaine smiled and stood up. She picked up all the dishes, and went to the sink to wash them, much to Serena and Darien's offer to do the dishes themselves. "Are you sure?" Darien asked just to make sure. "You just don't seem yourself."  
  
"I'm really fine," Serena said, taking another sip from her juice. "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." Darien nodded, deciding not to push her any further. It was obvious that she wasn't going to tell him what exactly was on her mind. Also, he knew that he didn't really have much of a right to know as well. He simply sat back in his chair, waiting for Jill to return to the room.  
  
An awkward silence filled the room as the two waited for Jill to return. Serena continued taking sips from her juice in silence. Darien did the same, looking at the doorway from time to time, hoping that Jill would show up and break the uncomfortable silence. Serena sighed, reaching over and taking the carton of juice. She sat back and read the back. Darien just smiled, taking another sip from his juice to hide it.  
  
"Sorry I took so long," Jill said, entering the room. Serena placed the juice back onto the table and sat upright. Jill sat back down at the table, taking the juice and pouring herself a glass. Darien and Serena both gave her looks. It was obvious that they expected her to say something. Jill downed her glass of juice in one gulp and placed it down onto the table, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. She leaned forward and places her elbows onto the table.  
  
"Well?" Serena asked. It was obvious that she was losing her temper. Jill gave her a strange look, as if to say, 'Well what?' Serena sighed, "Well, what did they say?" Jill simply laughed.  
  
"Yeah, sorry," Jill said. "They said that it's no problem." Darien smiled and nodded, finishing off the rest of his juice. "But it's like nine- thirty," Jill said, looking at the clock on the wall. "The mall's opening soon, and there's still a bunch of stuff we have to get." Serena and Darien both nodded in agreement.  
  
"I'm all ready," Darien said, brushing back a few bangs out of his eyes with his hand. "So we can leave whenever." Jill nodded, then turned to Serena. She sat in thought for a few seconds.  
  
"Well," Serena said, "I still have to brush my teeth. Besides that, I'm all set." Jill nodded, noticing the lack of enthusiasm in her voice. Usually, Serena couldn't wait to go to the beach. She would look forward to it for days. Now however, it seemed to be the last thing on her mind. Jill smiled, letting her eyes linger to a "certain guy". She knew that he was the cause of this sudden change in her sister.  
  
"So, who's driving?" Darien asked. Jill was about to open her mouth, but Serena quickly stood up, making Jill close it. Darien and Jill both then turned to her. Serena had no intentions of dieing that day, and she knew that willingly getting into a car with her sister was as good as committing suicide. Serena also knew that there was no way she was going to drive. There was no way she was going to embarrass herself any further by letting Darien see her car.  
  
"Ummmm," Serena said, noticing the stares she was getting. "How about Darien drives?" she quickly asked. Jill then diverted her eyes to Darien. He looked at Serena, with her pleading eyes, then down at Jill, who didn't seem to care. Darien simply shrugged.  
  
"I guess I'll drive then," he said. Serena sighed in relief and fell back into her chair. Now she only hoped that Darien was a decent driver. Jill smiled and stood up, making Serena and Darien's eyes follow her as she stood.  
  
"Well then," Jill said, "shall we get going?" Serena and Darien both nodded in agreement, standing up themselves. Thankfully, Serena had forgotten about brushing her teeth: a task that could take years. "Later mom," called Jill as she left the room. Serena said her goodbyes and Darien said his thanks before they all left the kitchen and entered the main room.  
  
Darien reached into his pockets and pulled out his keys as Jill, who was ahead of them all, opened the front door. Once they were outside, they were instantly attacked by the hot air. The sun was shining bright, and there was not one cloud I the sky. It was perfect beach weather. Fortunately, they were well dressed in preparation for it. Serena wore a pink halter-top and black pants. Her hair was up in a ponytail, which reached the middle of her neck.  
  
Jill wore a tan tank top and blue jeans. Her hair was down straight, reaching just past her shoulders. Darien wore a simple Sutton-down short- sleeved shirt and black shorts. He had sunglasses covering his dark blue eyes, making him look both cool and mysterious at the same time.  
  
Serena looked around and gasped as she laid eyes on Darien's car. The night before, she had not gotten a good look at it do to the darkness of the night. Now that the sun was out however, the car was shown in all its glory. Once they got to the car, Darien shut of the alarm and walked inside. Serena was about to get into the back seat when Jill stopped her.  
  
"Why don't you get the front?" Jill asked, standing in Serena's way so that she couldn't open the back door. "I like being in the back seat." Serena's eyes narrowed. She gave her a sister a "since when" look. After bickering for a little while, Serena finally gave in and sat in the front seat. Now she had to sit next to Darien the whole way to the mall. She only hoped that Jill didn't have any other plans up her sleeve.  
  
Uh oh! They're all going to the beach now? Can Serena survive an entire afternoon with Darien, both of them wearing only swimsuits? Whoa, things seem to be spicing up a bit now. Make sure you check back next chapter. I only hope Serena can last the day without doing anything stupid. 


	8. Part 8

Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I grew kinda lazy. Anyway, I have a new editor now, which is a huge relief. Usually I edited my own stories (which consisted of a simple spell-check and nothing else). Anyway, she also writes on fanfiction.net (her handle is Midnight Passion). You should check out some of her stuff. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and please R&R.  
  
Darien started the car and pulled away from the curb. Almost as soon as the car was turned on, the radio began blasting music. Serena screamed and covered her ears. Jill cringed a little, but was not affected as badly as Serena was. Quickly, Darien reached down and turned the radio off. Serena slowly pulled her hands away from her ears.  
  
"Sorry about that," Darien said with a small laugh. "I forgot how loud I had it." Serena glared over at Darien for a moment before turning her glare to outside her window. Darien turned onto the highway and floored the car. Serena gasped and grabbed onto the sides of her seat. She had never been in such a fast vehicle before.  
  
Eventually, Darien got to his preferred speed and stopped accelerating, much to Serena's relief. Jill simply laughed in the back. At least Darien wasn't as bad a driver as Jill.  
  
"So," began Serena, who had just gotten her breath back, "how do you know how to get there anyway?" Darien shrugged, still looking at the road, weaving through traffic when necessary. Serena never liked it when people weaved through traffic. She swallowed and gripped the sides of her seat.   
  
"I used to live here when I was a kid," Darien said, not looking away from the road. "My mom used to drag me to the mall all the time. I guess I just memorized how to get there." He let out a small laugh as he swerved into an empty lane, allowing him to cruise freely down it, much to Serena's relief.   
  
"Which part of the island did you live on?" Jill asked. Serena, who was also wondering the same thing, turned to Darien, waiting for his answer. Deep down inside, however, she already knew what his reply was going to be. Darien shook his head and shrugged, making Serena sigh. She knew he was going to do that.  
  
"I really don't remember," Darien said. Jill nodded. "But," Darien continued, "for some odd reason, the area where you live just seems so familiar." Jill raised an eyebrow, wondering now how close he really lived. Serena simply nodded and turned her head back to her window. She didn't bother thinking any deeper into it. Jill, on the other hand, only grew more curious.  
  
"Wouldn't your parents remember though?" Jill asked. Serena turned her head to face Darien again. He simply shook his head. Serena tilted her head in curiosity. Jill's eyes narrowed, now growing even more curious. "Why?" she asked, being as nosy as ever. Darien shook his head again. Serena held back a gasp when she caught Darien's eyes. They looked so distressing.  
  
Serena turned around to face Jill. She quickly shook her head, signaling for Jill to stop taking. She didn't get the message though. Serena simply sighed and sat back in her seat, sinking into it. She only hoped Jill didn't say anything to hurt Darien.  
  
"Well," Darien said, a distant look in his eyes, "they wouldn't know. When I was born, my father and mother separated. My mother moved to the island right after I was born, and my father stayed in the city. When I was around six though, they cleared up their differences and decided to come back together. My mother decided to move to the city, and while on the way there, we got into a horrible accident.  
  
"I survived, but my mother wasn't as lucky. She died in the hospital a week later. I moved in with my father, and he re-married." Serena looked at him, his hurtful eyes filling with tears. Quickly, he wiped his eyes and continued driving. Serena felt as though she was going to cry herself. Jill, realizing she had asked too much, shut her mouth. She felt bad for even bringing up his parents. She only hoped this wouldn't ruin their trip to the beach.  
  
The rest of the drive to the mall was in silence. Serena continued looking out her window, watching as the scenery rushed passed her. Every once in a while, she would turn her head to take a quick glance at Darien, but just as quickly would turn away. She noticed that for the rest of the ride to the mall, the hurt look on his face never went away.  
  
Minutes later, they made it to the mall parking lot. Darien stole the closest parking spot to the mall, taking it away from another person who had his eyes on it. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't fast enough. Darien turned off the car and took a deep breath. Serena turned to him, her eyes full of worry. She was just about to ask if he was okay, but quickly decided against it.  
  
"This is my second time going to the mall in two days," Darien said with a laugh. Serena looked at him, noticing that the hurt look in his face was almost totally gone. She was relieved that he was getting over it. She didn't know how much longer she would have been able to stand seeing him look so down. Hearing what Darien said, Jill giggled, receiving a glare from Serena in return. Darien had no idea that Serena was the girl he had bumped into the day before, and she wanted to keep it that way.   
  
Darien opened his door, as did the girls. Once they were all out, they closed the doors and Darien locked them with a click of a button. They all then began walking towards the mall. Darien walked in front, along with Jill. Serena dragged herself behind them. Every time she went to the mall, something bad happened. She only hoped that, for only once, her luck would change.  
  
In a matter of seconds, they were at the main entrance of the mall. Darien opened the door, allowing Serena and Jill to walk in ahead of him. Once they were inside, Darien walked in himself. Once inside, Serena gasped. Usually the mall was crowded, but this particular day, it was a mob scene.  
  
"Why is it so crowded?" Serena asked to whoever was paying attention to her. She was wondering if there was something special going on that day. Darien shrugged, as usual. Jill tilted her head in thought for a moment.   
  
"I guess this is just a popular day for beach-goers," Jill said, noticing the extreme amounts of people walking around with new swimsuits. Serena nodded, accepting Jill's explanation. Right then, she gasped, making Jill and Darien turn to her.  
  
"I just realized," Serena said, "Jill and I don't have OUR swimsuits? We'll have to go back home and pick them up." She sighed, hating to go back and forth to places. Jill simply grinned, letting out a small laugh. Serena looked at her in confusion. "What's so funny?" Serena asked.  
  
"You think I didn't already know that?" Jill asked. Serena tilted her head in confusion, wondering what her sister was getting at. "It's about time for us to buy new swimsuits too," Jill said with a grin across her face. Serena gasped.  
  
"But I have a perfectly good swimsuit at home," Serena said. Jill simply sighed, placing her head into her hand. Darien watched the two of them, a look of amusement across his face. He could tell that the two of them were really close, even though it didn't seem like it with their constant bickering.  
  
"That 'swimsuit' as you call it is almost as old as me," Jill said, her face in disgust at just the very thought of the thing. "Plus, I doubt it even fits you anymore." Serena's eyes narrowed.  
  
"And what is THAT supposed to mean?" Serena asked. Jill grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "Well?" Serena asked, raising her fist. Jill stepped back a bit, but didn't lose her grin.  
  
"Nothing really," Jill said. Serena look unsatisfied. "Only that you've put on a few pounds." Serena gasped, clenching her teeth in anger. She tightened her fist, ready to attack her sister at any time.  
  
"Calm down, calm down," Darien said, noticing the tension between the two rise to a dangerous level. "We're out to have fun today, right? Not to beat each other up. Why don't you two calm down so we can get ready for the beach today." Serena took a deep breath before lowering her fist. She gave her sister one more warning glance however. Jill's grin widened. Serena wanted to attack her sister right then and there, but realized again that Darien was next to her.  
  
"Now," Darien began, seeing that the tension between the two dropped dramatically, "where should we go first?" Jill stood in thought. Whenever it came to something to do with the mall, Jill was always the brain of the group.  
  
"Well, a new bathing suit place just opened on the other side of the mall," Jill said. "I heard that they're having a huge sale right now. I say we start there." Serena, who had been giving her sister the "evil eye" the whole time nodded in agreement. With that, they began walking, making small talk the whole time. In a matter of minutes, they made it to the store.  
  
Once inside, Serena instantly froze as Jill and Darien went ahead of her. They soon realized that Serena was no longer with them and turned around.  
  
"What's wrong?" Jill asked. Serena shook her head. Jill sighed, already knowing what Serena was going to say.  
  
"These bathing suits are far too showy," Serena said, as she looked around at all the bikinis. While she didn't mind wearing a bikini, there was no way that she would wear anything that didn't cover her well. Jill rolled her eyes. "You can shop here if you want, but I'm going someplace else."  
  
"Serena, these suits are fine," Jill said. "These types are suits are the ones in style these days. C'mon!" Serena simply shook her head. Jill sighed and stomped forward. She grabbed hold of Serena's arm and began dragging her into the store. Instantly, Serena began protesting. "Serena stop," Jill hissed. "You're making a scene." Realizing that her sister was right, Serena blushed, quickly becoming quiet.  
  
"Now let's go look for a suit, and stop whining," Jill said. She instantly cringed to herself. 'Oh my God,' Jill thought. 'I sound like a mom.' Darien laughed to himself before looking around the store himself. After a few seconds, he froze. The entire store was filled with nothing but female bathing suits. Darien questioned why he was even in there.  
  
"Umm, I'll just go wait outside," Darien said. He didn't even wait for an answer when he begun turning around. He was halfway out the store when a voice stopped him.  
  
"No you don't" Jill said. Darien took a deep breath and turned around, wondering why in the world she would want him there. "We're going to try on some suits, and we want your opinion on them." Darien almost jumped when he heard that. The last thing he expected was that she wanted him to judge them on how well they look in their bathing suits.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, wait a second," Serena said. It was obvious that she wasn't very satisfied with the idea at all. "Who said anything about…" she was quickly cut off by Jill's hand over her mouth. Jill quickly looked up at Darien, who had a far off look in his eyes. He was still shocked by the fact that he would be judging their bathing suits.  
  
"We'll be right back," Jill said, knocking Darien out from his trance. He swallowed and nodded as Jill pulled Serena away, her hand still covering Serena's mouth. Jill dragged her all the way to the rack that had the suits that were most "in style". "Wow, these are awesome," Jill said, letting go of Serena and sorting through the suits.  
  
"You know, I really don't feel all that comfortable about this," Serena said, looking through the suits herself, though not nearly as vigorously as her sister was. Jill simply laughed and shook her head.  
  
"I really don't get what the big deal is," Jill said. " I mean, he's gonna see it at the beach anyway. So what's the big deal if he sees it now? Now hurry up and pick out a suit." Serena sighed, looking more through the suits. With an "aha", Jill pulled out a suit from the rack and held it in front of her. Serena turned her head to look at it. It was a baby blue bikini with a floral pattern along the border of the bottoms. The top was cut fairly low, and the bottoms were held together by strings on the sides. All in all, it left nothing to the imagination.   
  
"Don't you think that's a bit showy?" Serena asked, eyeing the suit in awe. Jill shook her head, not taking her eyes away from the suit that she held before her. Serena wondered why the store charged so much for the suit; it barely used any fabric.  
  
"It's fine," Jill said, turning it around so that she could look at the back of it. "I'm gonna go try it on. Hurry up and pick something out." With that, she quickly walked over to the dressing rooms, walking into an empty stall. Serena sighed, pulling herself away from the rack. She looked around, and smiled when she noticed another rack in an isolated corner of the store. It had some less provocative suits. She quickly walked over to it.  
  
In a matter of minutes, Jill walked out of the dressing room, wearing her bikini. Darien almost swallowed his tongue when he saw her. The two-piece fit her perfectly, showing off her great figure. Darien swallowed as Jill walked towards him. He felt his palms getting sweaty as he looked at her.  
  
'Get a grip,' Darien told himself. 'She's like ten years younger than me, AND she has a boyfriend. Plus, she's not the girl I like.' Jill smiled at him, noticing his reaction. She could tell she picked out a good suite. Serena turned around to look at her. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the look Darien was giving to her sister.  
  
"So, does it look good?" Jill asked. Darien nodded, afraid to speak. He knew that if he were to speak, he would definitely begin stuttering, and he didn't want that to happen. Jill smiled back at him before walking over to Serena. Darien's eyes lingered to Jill's behind. He averted his eyes, and caught Serena's glare. Darien swallowed and turned around, facing the entrance.  
  
"Well, what do you think?" Jill asked Serena, giving a little pose. Right then, Serena's anger faded away and she giggled. Jill giggled in return. They both giggled together for a few more seconds before it died down.  
  
"Looks great," Serena said truthfully before turning back to the suits that she was looking at. Jill stood on her toes and looked over Serena's shoulders. Jill rolled her eyes.   
  
"You have a great body," Jill said. "You should show it off." Serena shrugged, looking through the rack. Serena was often told that by her friends. She never felt comfortable showing off, though. Maybe it was due to how she was raised, but she wasn't very sure. She sighed, still looking through the suits.  
  
"You know I'm not like that," Serena said. "Plus, aren't you the one who said that I 'put on a few pounds' before?" she added jokingly. Jill grinned, chuckling slightly. "Anyway, I think I found a good one." She pulled out a suit from the rack and held it in front of her. It was a pink two-piece suit. It had a strap that went around her neck, and another that tied behind her back. It even came with a little skirt to wrap around her waist.   
  
"I like this one," Serena said, moving it around so that she could look at the back of it as well. "I'm gonna go try it on." With that, she walked over to the dressing room. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally came out. "How does it look?" Serena asked Jill. Unlike her sister, she didn't put on a little show. Jill nodded and smiled.  
  
"It looks great on you," Jill said. The suit, although not as flashy as Jill's, was not at all simple. It encompassed her personality to a tee. It made her look young and fresh, yet at the same time, had a sort of sophistication to it. Jill definitely liked it. "But I think we need our man's opinion," Jill said with a grin. Serena held up her hands and shook her head.  
  
Jill heard none of what Serena was telling her though. She grabbed Serena's arm and dragged her over to Darien, who was still looking out the entrance, his back turned to the girls. With a snicker, Jill reached up her hand and tapped Darien's shoulder. He jumped and quickly turned around. Once he saw Serena, he held back a gasp.  
  
"Well?" Jill asked. "What do you think?" Serena looked down, blushing. Darien swallowed. He felt his heart beating so hard and fast, he thought it was going to pop out from his chest.   
  
"You look beautiful," Darien said, his eyes wide in awe. Serena gasped to herself, quickly looking up at him, her own eyes wide. While Jill looked amazingly sexy, Serena looked stunning. Darien swallowed, looking over her body.  
  
"Th-thanks," Serena said, still blushing. Darien nodded and smiled. Jill looked at the two, a large grin across her face. She turned her head, noticing the woman at the register giving them nasty looks. It was obvious that she wanted them to purchase their suits already. Jill turned back to Serena.   
  
"I think she wants us to purchase these," Jill said, knocking Serena and Darien out of their trance. They both nodded and walked over to the register. Luckily for Serena, she had found her ATM card, so was able to pay by debit. Once they both paid, they put their clothes on over their suits and left the store.  
  
"Now it's time to get you a bathing suit," Jill said, looking around at all the stores that were around them. Darien nodded. Fortunately for all of them, being a guy, he didn't have to go through a lot of trouble finding a bathing suit. Eventually, they decided to stop in to Pacific Sunwear. Darien quickly chose a black suit with a blue stripe going down the sides. After paying for it, they all left the store, stopping outside of it.  
  
"Well what now?" Serena asked, looking down at her watch. They still had some time to waste before going to the beach. Jill shrugged, much to Serena's surprise. She turned to Darien to ask if he had any ideas. Before she even had the chance to ask, he shrugged as well. He was never good when coming up with things to do.  
  
"Maybe we should grab a few snacks and stuff," Serena said. Jill and Darien turned to her, surprised that she actually had something to contribute for once. "Also, we forgot sun screen." Jill nodded in agreement.   
  
"Well, there's a supermarket down the street, right?" Darien asked, deep in thought, trying to picture the area in his head. It had been a long time since he last been here. Serena also stood in thought. Jill was way ahead of both of them however.  
  
"Yeah, right down the block," she said. Darien nodded, though Serena was still in contemplation, as if to see if Jill was right. "I guess we're going there?" Darien nodded.  
  
"Yeah, that's the idea," Darien said. Serena, realizing that her sister was right, agreed. The three of them all walked out of the mall and towards the car.  
  
"So are you excited?" Jill asked as they walked. Serena and Darien both nodded. Both of them had not been to the beach in a long time. While Serena was not very enthusiastic about going at first, she found herself looking forward to it more and more as the day went on. Yet at the same time, she found herself getting even more nervous.  
  
"I haven't been to the beach in ages," Serena said. "Work always gets in my way." She sighed, silently kicking herself for reminding herself about work. She remembered that she would have to go back eventually. She only hoped that her vacation didn't fly by.  
  
"Same here," Darien said, walking ahead of them. "I just never get time to do anything anymore." Serena and Jill both nodded in agreement. A few seconds later, they made it to the car. Darien unlocked it, and Jill instantly claimed the back seat. Serena rolled her eyes and opened the front passenger door. Once inside and buckled up, Darien started the car and pulled out of the parking spot.  
  
"I was just wondering," Serena said to Darien as he began driving out of the parking lot. Darien raised his head to show that he was listening. "Why aren't you at work or anything?" Darien took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm on vacation too," Darien said, turning onto the highway. "I mean, I found my company, so I really don't have to do much anyway. I still like to work there and stuff though. I guess I just decided that I needed a vacation." Serena nodded, a far off look in her eyes.  
  
"You're so lucky," Serena said. "If I were you, I would never work." Darien laughed, stopping at a red light. He shrugged, still smiling. Serena thought dreamily at what she would do if she never had to work. It was like a dream come true.  
  
"I get that a lot," Darien said. "But I guess that I really don't like living the lazy life, you know?" Serena nodded in agreement. Darien shrugged again, "I guess I just like working." Serena nodded, turning to look out her window. The light turned green, signaling for Darien to begin driving again. It wasn't much longer before they made it to the supermarket.  
  
"We're here," Darien said, pulling into the parking lot." It didn't take him long at all to find a parking place. He parked the car and turned it off. Serena walked out of the car, and waited for the others to do the same. Darien was the last out of the car. Once all the doors were closed, he locked it, and began walking towards the supermarket.  
  
"You know," Darien said as he walked, Serena and Jill dragging behind. "I just realized where I remember you from." Serena froze in her tracks. Darien grinned and turned around to face her. "You're that girl I bumped into at the mall yesterday."   
  
Uh oh…! Serena's worst nightmare seems like it just came true. What will Darien say now that he knows that Serena is the girl that made the huge scene a day before? Let's hope, for Serena's sake, that this doesn't change anything. Anyway, I should have chapter 9 up soon. Remember, R&R!!! Later! 


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